By: Ilyasa Baa
Native Consortium and Research Centre (NCRC) has reacted strongly to the signing of a communiqué by three handpicked Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) for minimal tariff increment by the mobile companies.
The Consortium has threatened that the National Telecommunication (NATCOM) would face contempt of court if they adjust any tariff without recourse and respect for the court case which is before Justice Adrian Fisher in the High Court of Sierra Leone.
NCRC’s Executive Director, Edmund Abu (Jr) has said any proposed marginal increment should be tied to the quality of service of the mobile companies as a precondition. He said Africell has no right to threaten to shut down their operation and sack staff because they wanted to increase their tariff. He singled out Q cell for not making such threats to the public.
He said there was no pre-consultation with the wider CSO community before the signing of that communique at Country Lodge last Friday. He described the CSO’s involved in that handpicked meeting as the Baboons in the struggle who consider personal privileges against what is good for the members of the public.” Activism is all about specialties”, he said, noting that the Country Lodge communique was not meant for the good of those that use mobile phones but for those that were handpicked to serve the interest of the mobile operators.” We are restating our irrevocable position on tariff increment contrary to circulated news that CSOs agreed on a minimal tariff increment “, Abu declared.
It could be recalled that NCRC and 299 members of the public had sued NATCOM, Africell and Orange for breach of statutory obligation and breach of contract respectively. The matter started with speed and passed through several Judges before it was handed over to Justice Fisher who has withheld the ruling for one year and five months despite several calls for him to give his ruling on the matter.