The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has intensified its efforts to safeguard the rights of mobile phone users across the country, launching a month-long Consumer Rights Protection Month campaign aimed at strengthening public trust, improving service quality, and ensuring fair treatment for consumers throughout Liberia.
The initiative is part of the global observance of Consumer Rights Protection Month held annually in March. This year's international theme is "Building Trust - Quality Service and Fair Treatment for All," while the LTA has adopted a local theme, "Empowering Consumers through Dialogue."
Activities marking the campaign began on March 1 and will run through March 31, according to LTA officials.
The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the rights and responsibilities of mobile phone users while encouraging service providers to uphold high standards in delivering voice, data, and other digital services. It also forms part of the Authority's broader regulatory mandate to protect telecom subscribers while promoting transparency and accountability within Liberia's rapidly evolving telecommunications sector.
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As part of the month-long activities, the LTA on Thursday hosted a consumer engagement forum at the Liberia Learning Center located in the Paynesville Town Hall. The event brought together Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), regulators, students, and other stakeholders to discuss consumer protection, service quality, and ways to strengthen dialogue between providers and the public.
Delivering the welcome remarks, LTA Chairperson Clarence Massaquoi emphasized that the authority's policies, regulations, and initiatives are designed with one primary goal: protecting consumers and ensuring they receive value for the services they pay for.
"We want to use this time on behalf of the board to welcome you, not just to this specific occasion, but to welcome you to a month-long consumer activity," Massaquoi said.
He stressed that consumer satisfaction remains the central focus of the regulator's work.
"As a student of economics, I always believe that when people pay money, they pay for satisfaction," he noted. "All of what we do--the big LTA building, the regulations we make, the public relations efforts--everything we do is to ensure that consumers have the best out of what they pay."
Massaquoi explained that consumer protection is a priority for the authority, which is why an entire month has been dedicated to engaging the public and raising awareness about telecommunications services.
He also commended the LTA Consumer Affairs team for actively reaching communities throughout the country with awareness campaigns.
"Almost for the whole month, once I click on social media, at least before I leave from there I will see something on consumer affairs," he said. "Whether it's in front of the ministerial complex talking to drivers or in schools speaking with students, the team has been making sure the country is informed."
The LTA Chairperson further acknowledged the presence and participation of major telecom operators.
"I want to particularly recognize our partners. I see Orange and MTN here. Thank you for being here and making this occasion more meaningful," Massaquoi added.
Providing an overview of the program, Patrick R. Honnah, LTA Commissioner for Consumer and Public Affairs and Universal Access, described the initiative as a historic step for the telecommunications regulator.
"This is the first time that the Liberia Telecommunications Authority is embarking on consumer engagement," Honnah disclosed.
According to him, the primary objective of the initiative is to raise awareness about consumer rights while strengthening collaboration between regulators and service providers.
"This is basically to create consumer awareness, to inform you--big or small--about your rights as consumers and also inform you about how we intend, as the regulator, to work with the service providers to protect consumers," he explained.
Honnah also revealed that the LTA Board recently approved the Consumer Protection Regulation, which outlines comprehensive measures designed to safeguard telecom users.
"I must hasten to say that this board passed, again for the first time, the Consumer Protection Regulation, which outlines different components meant to protect consumers," he said.
He encouraged participants to openly raise concerns about telecommunications services and actively engage service providers during the forum.
"The reason why we are here today is to engage so that you can be able to speak out," Honnah told participants. "You'll be hearing from the service providers, and I want all of you to ask all your hard questions."
Describing the role of the LTA in the telecommunications sector, Honnah likened the authority to a referee responsible for ensuring fairness between service providers and consumers.
"We are the referees. LTA is the referee in this case," he said. "We have MTN on one side and Orange on the other side, and we are in the center."
He added that the authority intends to expand similar consumer engagement platforms in the future.
"This gives us the urge to do more of this--maybe a bigger forum and then have radio stations relay it so we can reach more people," Honnah noted.
Also speaking at the event, Ben A. Fofana, Commissioner for Licensing and Regulations, underscored the importance of placing consumers at the center of every business decision.
"Not only limited to telecommunications, in any business that you are doing, your customer base should be the center of your thinking," Fofana said. "If you don't think about consumers, your business is liable to fail at any point in time."
He outlined several key rights consumers are entitled to, including the right to safety, the right to information, the right to choice, the right to be heard, and the right to redress.
"Whatever money you pay for whatever service, you must get it," he asserted. "You are entitled to quality service."
Fofana further disclosed that the LTA will soon launch a new program aimed at ensuring that mobile devices used in Liberia meet international standards and are protected against theft.
The initiative involves the implementation of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) authentication system, which assigns each mobile device a unique identification number.
"Every phone that you hold in your hand has a unique number--15 digits engraved by the manufacturer," he explained.
Under the system, SIM cards will be registered against the device's IMEI number to prevent the use of stolen or substandard phones.
"When this program is launched, before you go to GSM to get a SIM card, they will register your card with that number," he said.
Fofana added that the system will help improve service quality while also addressing the problem of mobile phone theft.
"When your phone is stolen, the probability that we will retrieve it becomes very high," he noted.
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Representatives of mobile network operators Lonestar Cell MTN and Orange Liberia welcomed the engagement, describing it as an important platform for strengthening communication between service providers and consumers.
According to one representative, the forum provides telecom companies an opportunity to better understand the concerns of their customers.
"This is one of those events that helps us see a direction to reach the ultimate goal of achieving our ambition, which is directly interacting with the consumer," the representative said.
The operators reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining open communication with customers and improving service delivery.
"We are always passionate about our customers," the representative noted, encouraging telecom users to engage companies through available communication platforms, including social media.
The forum brought together representatives from MTN, Orange Liberia, students, members of the media, and several LTA commissioners, including Angela Cassell Bush, Commissioner for International Gateway Services, and Emmanuel J. Payegar, Commissioner for Engineering and Technology.
Closing the engagement, Commissioner Honnah stressed that the outreach campaign will extend beyond the forum, with additional community engagements planned across the country.
"We're not ending here," he said. "Next Tuesday, we will be in the community. More than 7,500 people will be assembled for us to talk to them."
He emphasized that increasing consumer awareness remains a top priority for the authority.
"There is one thing I am leaving here with, and that is more information," Honnah concluded. "There is always the urge to provide more information to our people."
