Ghana’s Communications Minister Sam George has attributed rapid mobile data depletion to smartphone settings and modern app technologies, countering public allegations against telecom operators.
The clarification follows nationwide complaints despite recent reforms mandating data bundle increases.
Speaking in Accra, George cited joint National Communications Authority (NCA) and telecom investigations revealing background app activities particularly AI-driven features as primary data consumers. “People grant permissions without reviewing requests,” he stated, referencing apps’ evolving data demands since 2020. The comments address frustrations after July 1 policy changes requiring:
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MTN Ghana to raise data volumes by 15% (including reinstating ₵399/214GB bundle)
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AirtelTigo and AT Ghana to increase bundles by 10%
While defending telecoms against calls for sanctions, George emphasized President Mahama’s pro-business stance: “Ghana is open for business; we can’t punish companies over tweets.” He confirmed personally escalating social media complaints to the NCA for case-by-case review but ruled out sector-wide regulatory action.
Consumers were advised to disable background data, limit autoplay, and audit app permissions. The ministry continues monitoring complaints through official channels.
