He made this statement while responding to the report of The National Assembly Standing Committee’s recommendations on Public Enterprises on the Performance Audit Report of GAMTEL service delivery by National Audit Office.
The report was laid previously by the Public Enterprise Committee in parliament with recommendations given to the telecommunications and in line ministries.
Responding to the recommendation that GAMTEL must prioritise establishing monitoring schedules for regional managers to ensure efficient service delivery report, Minister Keita said: “Regional stations and exchanges in the provinces are monitored by regional managers and report to the required department for intervention. Routine maintenance work is done monthly by the team in the regions.”
The committee also recommended that GAMTEL urgently needs to expand its network coverage to meet the growing demand, especially considering that internet packages are its primary revenue sources.
“The GPON network expansions are ongoing, targeting new settlements to complement the ADSL technology, which is gradually phasing out. However, these expansion projects are financed through internally generated funds to purchase cables and accessories due to challenges in accessing the necessary capital investment for major expansion project,” the minister responded.
The committee further recommended that GAMTEL must ensure the implementation of an automated fault management system to enhance coordination between the customer service unit and fault restoration department latest December 2024.
However, Finance Minister Keita noted “GAMTEL has made budgetary provisions for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), including an automated fault management system.” Due to financial challenges, he added, these efforts have proved futile. “Nonetheless, and as a temporary measure, a system has been put in place where technicians from different exchange jurisdictions receive fault reports through a platform to facilitate timely service restoration.”
The report also recommended for GAMTEL to promptly establish its administrative framework latest December 2024.
But Hon Keita explained that GAMTEL has an existing administrative framework with a defined organisational structure, policies, and procedures that guide the day-to-day management of its operations. “However, these policies and structures are currently under review to ensure proper alignment with industry standards, enhancing the company's efficiency and responsiveness in service.”
