CURRENT SITUATION AT GAMCEL
Dear Editor,
-GAMCEL got a new billing system in April 2014.
-This New system that took over the GAMCEL billing system is called Red knee, the company was introduced to GAMCEL by MGI who were the then gateway keepers of GAMCEL
-MGI’s contract was terminated by the new Government in July 2017
– Along with this termination were implications for the GAMCEL billing system. The question that should now urgently be answered is
– ‘Who owns the GAMCEL billing system?
According to my sources, MGI is now claiming GAMCEL pay them millions of Dollars because they funded the system otherwise they will shut down the billing system. Now true to their word, they have decided to shut it down and GAMCEL as the National GSM is losing millions by the day
– GAMCEL customers are unable to purchase airtime @ the moment which is every GSM company’s main source of revenue
-Electronic Airtime brings in more than 96% of GAMCEL’s monthly revenue according to my sources.
– GAMCEL customers are at the moment unable to call other networks
– They are unable to make International calls, they can’t send international SMS, they are unable to roam too.
-GAMCEL now has no choice but to allow customers to be able to call other GAMCEL customers free of charge.
– Mobile data cannot be charged
– Billing of all the above has been shut down by Red knee.
In the nutshell, Gamcel is crippled and no one has seen any contract with MGI nor Red knee.
Key questions that GAMTEL/GAMCEL Management should answer
-How did Redknee billing come into play?
Was the procurement process followed?
What were the terms of the contract?
Who approved the Red knee Contract?
What is next for GAMCEL?
Until GAMCEL gets a new billing system, the company will be unable to charge for data and voice calls. Gamcel will be unable to fulfill its financial obligations such as paying of suppliers, third parties, partners, bank overdrafts, and most importantly, staff salaries.
Those who were and now at the helm of GAMCEL should be put to task. Gamcel is a subsidiary of GAMTEL and Baboucarr Sanyang as head of GAMTEL has a lot of questions to answer and should to produce contract details. GAMCEL GM should also be put to task as was there whilst most of these contracts were arranged. Some people within the company travelled to Switzerland (Swiss) more than ten (10) times with per diem being paid to them, this should be explained.
GAMCEL unable to charge its customers and losing millions by the day tantamount to economic crimes.
As a national institution, GAMCEL should be the pride of The Gambia but because of the corruption of a few people by MGI, GAMCEL is now the laughingstock of the GSM operators in this country.
As a concerned citizen I call on Mr Adama Borrow, the president of The Gambia, Mr Demba Jawo, Ministry of Information, Mr Abubakar Ba Tambadou, minister of Justice and Mr Mai Ahmed Fatty of Interior who is said to be a close friend of the GM to act immediately and
SAVE OUR NATIONAL INSTITUTION.
