By Theresa Kef Sesay
During an event that took place at the NATCOM Head Office in Freetown on 7th July, 2020 the Acting Chairperson and Commissiner of National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) Madam Madiana Samba signed six (6) draft regulations in a bid to fulfill the institution’s mandate and updating necessary developments within the industry. The Director General and Senior Management staffs of the Commission were in attendance.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) was established to license and regulate the activities of telecommunications operators to promote efficiency and fair competition, and the expansion of investment in the telecommunications sector, as well as protect users of telecommunications networks and services and support the progressive development of the telecommunications industry in Sierra Leone.
Section 82 of the Telecommunications Act (as amended) stipulates; “The Commission may, by statutory instrument, make regulations for the effective implementation of the Act. In accordance with the provisions of the Telecommunications Act, the Commission developed the following draft regulations:
1.Telecommunications Licensing Regulations 2020
2. Telecommunications Quality of Service Regulations 2020
3. Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations 2020
4. Subscriber Identification and Registration Management Regulations 2020
5. Electronic Communications Equipment Type Approval Regulations 2020; and
6. National Numbering Resource Regulations 2020.
The regulations will now go through the normal legislative processes to become law. The Chairperson and Commissioner expressed immense appreciation and gratitude to the staff of NATCOM for having pulled this through. She furthered that the regulations would be used effectively to move the telecommunications sector in Sierra Leone in leaps and bounds in line with placing ICT in the heart of H.E President Bio’s agenda in transforming the digital landscape of the country.
