To boost user satisfaction: P&T Minister challenges telecom operators to prioritise service quality.

She made the call in Yaounde on Tuesday January 23. This was during the opening of an annual conference which groups officials of her ministry and attached structures.

It held under the theme: “Towards a more efficient postal and telecommunications sector that resolutely serves the public: The roles and responsibilities of public authorities and the private sector”. 

Officials of the ministry used the conference to evaluate strides made in 2023 and zoomed into new terrains for the current year.

Speaking to reporters at the conference, Minister Libom Li Likeng expressed gratitude to all the stakeholders and officials who positively contributed in enabling the ministry successfully execute its 2023 roadmap. 

She said the immense contributions helped the ministry in one of its key missions, which is boosting the Cameroonian economy through the provision of a more vibrant posts and telecommunications sector.

Despite the positive evaluation, the minister said a lot still has to be done in the sector. This, she stated, is to ensure that the sector which for the past over two decades has been outlined by the Head of State as a priority sector and a development pillar, meets its target by exploiting opportunities offered by the internet. 

User satisfaction should be priority 

Repeated criticism of the quality of telecoms services by users, the Minister said is an issue that has to be worked on.

With regards especially telephone service providers, the member of government frowned at the behavioral pattern displayed by most of the operators last year which led to an increased customer dissatisfaction.

Such outcry, she said, forced users to adopt the “Opération Mode Avion” as some form of protest.

Libom Li Likeng urged the service providers to shun such behaviors and to prioritise best practices that not only promote user satisfaction but contribute to the overall growth of the national economy.

“…In 2024, collectively, we must strive to do more and better. Together, we must inject new momentum into this sector, crucial for the digital economy and the overall development of our country,” the minister reiterated.

Demands respect of laws on sector, collaboration

To effect the much needed changes in the telecom sector, Minister Libom Li Likeng urged the telecoms operators to operate according to laws governing the sector.

“To realise this, we must put an end to crafty strategies that encourage the violation of commitments made and abandon the mind-set of circumventing the rules,” she stated, further disclosing that government will put in place more rigorous guidelines.

“We must reject various practices that, in many cases, resemble delinquency and contribute to undermining trust in the institutions under the purview of public authorities. The stakes are too high for us to continue procrastinating,” Minister Libom Li Likeng stated.

Gov’t ready to accompany institutions 

The minister pledged the commitment of government in accompanying service providers and equally contributing in further strengthening the sector.

According to the minister, the state will be bringing forth a multifaceted approach with “aim to create a comprehensive and supportive environment for digital growth, ensuring that the benefits of technological advancements reach a wider segment of the population”.

She said the project will be anchored on the Digital Transformation Acceleration Program of Cameroon known by its French acronym as PATNUC. 

The PATNUC project, she stated, will establish new institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks conducive for the growth of the digital sector.

The PATNUC scheme, the minister added, will also create digital platforms and acquire relevant equipment for the resilient development of digital services in Cameroon and improve the digital literacy of citizens.