According to MyJoyOnline, a Ghanaian online news portal, Stephen Blewett, the CEO of MTN Ghana, has denied claims that the telecom provider steals consumer data, a recurring grievance he claims he has encountered in every market during his career.
His remarks coincide with a surge of similar worries in Nigeria, where customers are accusing rival operators and the nation’s biggest telco—which has more than 80 million users—of unjustly consuming their data.
Customers have bombarded the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission with emails and messages calling for an investigation into mysterious data usage.
Operators that discussed the issue denied any system to syphon data, attributing the higher usage to the transition from 3G and 4G networks to 5G networks as well as greater video streaming.
Blewett addressed the common misconception that intentional tampering causes data to disappear at MTN House in Accra.
Considering his lengthy career in the sector, he remarked, “I swear to God as my witness: we have no reason to steal your data.” He added, “I’ve heard ‘You’re stealing my data’ in every country I’ve worked—not just at MTN.”
Blewett contended that there is no financial reward for such behavior, pointing out that his bonus is contingent on reported sales.
He made the statement in an attempt to refute claims of profit-driven manipulation by MTN or its competitors: “If I steal data, I can’t report it—I’d lose my bonus.”
He blamed improved networks, not malicious activity, for the quick loss of data.
He clarified that “a better network speeds up data use.”
“On stronger signals, YouTube switches to higher resolution—it’s like Pac-Man consuming your data.” That is beyond our control,” he continued.
Blewett emphasized MTN’s oversight procedures in order to foster trust. “Billing errors would fail our financials—we’re independently audited,” he stated, adding that an internal revenue assurance team continuously looks for inconsistencies to guarantee accuracy and compliance.
He emphasized, “We don’t want revenue leaks or incorrect billing,” highlighting MTN’s dedication to openness in the face of consumer annoyance about disappearing data.
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