Speaking at the event held at the Senegambia Hotel, Yusupha M. Jobe, director general of PURA, underscored the importance of the ITC sector in the development of any country, saying the sector plays a pivotal role in this modern age.
Jobe reminded that considering the digital age and its outreach, it is their responsibility to serve as a catalyst for innovation, and economic growth and to improve universal access.
“PURA has been always trying to go into new sectors and to go deeper to understand the intricacies of the markets. The knowledge we gain will help us to be able to intervene and guide us by ensuring transparency and fairness. We will be better equipped as a regulator if we have guidelines and documents that are validated by our stakeholders.” he said.
Anta Taal, project manager of the Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project (GFMDP), noted that the ITC sector in The Gambia has been rebranded to address the systemic challenges, and difficult legacy issues and to meet the ever-evolving technological advances of today and the future.
That, she added, is to ensure that the sector is better fit for purpose, noting that the penetration in the mobile market has gone over 110%, highlighting the financial growth.
“In 2012, the Gambia launched its first sub-marine cable landing station culminating in improved data penetration rate with 4G services of about two out of four operators,” she added.
The GFMDP financed by the World Bank, is one of the key delivery mechanisms for the government of The Gambia to facilitate these reforms to the ITC sector, he added, is pleased to support this much-needed study that would assist PURA in developing a consistent regulatory oversight to impose SMP remedies when lack of effective competition is caused by the dominants through the application of tangible SMPs guidelines and effective measures.
Burama Jammeh, director of economic regulation at PURA, said the validation marks a crucial milestone in their regulatory mission.
“The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market relations within the ITC sector, particularly the services. The mission is not only about documenting data, but laying the foundation for a more cohesive and transparent regulatory advancement.” he said.
