The Ministry of Communications and Digital Technology has announced that it will not renew its contract with Kelni GVG, the private company managing Ghana’s telecom traffic monitoring system, once it expires.

The Minister of Communications, Samuel Nartey George, made this known at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, April 9.

He cited concerns over the escalating cost of monitoring, which he said now accounts for 84 per cent of the revenues generated.

The Common Monitoring Platform (CMP) contract, which was initiated in 2018, was designed to track international inbound calls and prevent revenue leakage within the telecommunications sector.

However, Mr George disclosed that the cost of operating the platform had risen sharply—from 28 per cent of revenues at inception to 84 per cent as of October 2024.

“This contract has become unsustainable for the state,” the Minister stated. “We are spending more on monitoring revenues than we are retaining. This is unacceptable.”

As part of the transition plan, the National Communications Authority (NCA) will assume responsibility for monitoring telecom revenues going forward.

Mr George revealed that he has instructed the NCA to begin preparations for the seamless transfer of operations and to carry out a review of the existing platform.

The $89 million contract with Kelni GVG has faced consistent public scrutiny since its inception.

Policy think tank IMANI Africa previously raised concerns over the contract’s value for money, challenging it in court. Parliament also questioned the procurement processes involved, while some telecom operators cited inefficiencies in the system’s performance.

According to the Minister, the NCA will first conduct an operational audit of the current monitoring platform before taking over its full management.

He stressed that the authority would be subject to strict accountability standards in its new oversight role.