A team from MTN Ghana made up of officers from the Head Office and the Regional Office called on me this morning to brief me on some of their products and activities which are impacting positively on the people of the region and the nation. The team was led by Madam Enyonam Adinyira who is in charge of Regulatory AffairsTheir visit was based on the belief that there was the need to touch base with the political leadership of the region each year.From our interaction, I was happy to know that MTN Ghana has about 21 Million subscribers and is using its foundation, MTN Ghana Foundation to give back to society in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.I was also happy to know that last year Twenty-two (22) students from the region were awarded scholarships by MTN.Similarly, Nine (9) teachers also benefitted from some scholarship packages.In addition, two people from the region were amongst the finalists in the MTN Heroes of Change, Season 5.The team also informed me about the sponsorship package the company has for festivals in the region amongst which are the Asogli Yam Festival and the Hogbetsotso Festival.In the region, it was good to know that network coverage had been expanded to rural areas with the Rural Sites Initiative of MTN whereby Solar Energy is used to power cell sites. Forty-five (45) Rural Sites were constructed and according to MTN, our people are going to benefit from 20 additional sites in the year 2020.The officials used the visit to talk about some of their products such as Fibre Connections to homes, MTN TurboNet, and Mobile Money.Finally, they indicated that the company is faced with fibre cuts on the part of especially road contractors. They appealed that the technical team of MTN be made aware of road construction works and also allowed to work with the contractors to prevent the numerous fibre cuts.They also appealed to me and the Co-ordinating Council to assist in the harmonisation of the fees and charges of the various Municipal/District Assemblies and Regional Departments and Agencies which have something to do with Right of Way and Permitting. According to them, if this is done early enough and made known to MTN, it would aid the company in budgeting.I acknowledged that MTN Ghana is a major contributor to the development of our country.Furthermore, I acknowledged that we have an excellent working relationship with the officers of MTN in the region.I appreciated the good work of the company and entreated them to continue same, for they have the full support of the Regional Co-ordinating Council.I took notice of their challenges and assured the team of working towards having them addressed.