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• Organization and Functioning of the Ministry
• of Posts and Telecommunications
• Republic of Liberia

Accra, Ghana 4-8, July 2005 Senior Posts T
elecommunications Specialist Ministry of Posts
Telecommunications Republic of Liberia Nathani
el D. Payne
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• CONTENT
• Introduction
• Background of the Ministry
• Structure of the Ministry of Posts and
  Telecommunications
  
• Office of the Minister
• Office of the Deputy Minister for Technical
• Services / Telecommunications
• Outsourcing of particular Task
• Plan for an independant Regulator
• Conclusion

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Introduction

• The objective of this presentation is to provide
  you with the details organization and functions
  of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
  of Liberia with special emphasis on the Division
  responsible for Telecommunication with reference
  to
• Staffing and expertise
• Outsourcing of particular task
• Plans for an independent regulator

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• 1. Background of the Ministry
• The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications is
  the Policy and Regulatory arm of the Government
  of Liberia for both postal and telecommunications
  sector.
• In 1979 an Legislative Act was enacted changing
  the nomenclature of the Ministry from Ministry
  Affairs to that of Ministry of Posts and
  Telecommunications and granted the Minister the
  following duties and functions
• ensure the establishment of mail routes and
  transportation of mail
  
• establishment of Posts Offices
• negotiate and conclude postal convention,
  arrangement with foreign government
  
• issue postage stamps in an appropriate
  denomination

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• Background of the Ministry (cont.)
• assign and authorize the use of frequency in
  compliance with the international convention
  
• regulate and license Radio, Television and
  Telecommunication Stations
  
• Establish technical standard for the use of
  frequency allocation
  
• inspect all telecommunication, radio and
  television stations
  
• issue licenses to all telecommunication
  operators
  
• present an annual report to the National
  Legislature on the status of the
  telecommunication
  

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• 2. Structure of the Ministry of Posts
• and Telecommunications

The Ministry of Posts and Tele
communications is headed by a Minister , assisted
by a Deputy Minister for Administration and
Finance, a Deputy Minister for postal operations
and a Deputy Minister for Telecommunications.

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• 3. Office of the Minister
• The office of the Minister is comprised
  of one special Assistant who serves the office
  administrator of the Minister and handle all
  communications to the Minister .
• He also performs duties assigned to
  him by the Minister and a Senior Posts and
  Telecommunications Specialist for Policy,
  Regulation and Strategy.
• He serves as a policy and a Regulatory
  analyst in the office of the Minister on postal
  or telecommunication meetings.

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• 4. Office of the Deputy Minister for Technical
  Services / Telecommunications

• The office of the Deputy Minister for
  Technical Services/ Telecommunications is
  comprised of one Assistant Minister who
  supervises the day-to-day of the Department.
• The Department performs the following
  functions
  
• Allocates and assigns frequency base approved
  application from a custumer
  
• Prescribes codes to frequency users
• Investigates disputes frequency interference
  between operators
  
• There is also a Director for
  Telecommunications who assists the Assistant
  Minister on the activities of the Department.

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• 5. Outsourcing of particular Task.

The major problem of the management of
Frequency Spectrum due to the well trained
manpower in the area within the Ministry.
However the Ministry will continue to seek
for technical assistance to have some personal
trained in the management of frequency.
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• 6. Plan for an independent Regulator

• Within the framework of positively influencing
  a competitive Liberia telecommunication sector
  within the national economic development
  strategies, plans are underway for the creation
  of an independent regulatory commission to
• Ensure the ongoing application of laws and
  regulations
  
• Regulate interconnection
• Determine tariff and enforces price regulation
• Resolve disputes between operators
• Propose universal access policy and administrate
  universal fund.
  

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• Conclusion

The Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications in Liberia was organized at a
time when Telecommunication was considered
as an utility service, within a monopoly
environment as such, is clear from the presen
tation, the emphasis of the structure of the
Ministry was on postal services as opposed
to telecommunication. It is our antici
pation that ongoing telecommunication sector
reform will correct this and that he independent
regulator to be created will have the proper
structure and expertise to adequately regulate
and develop the sector.
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• I thank you
• Nathaniel D. Payne
• Senior Posts Telecommunications Specialist
• Ministry of Posts Telecommunications
• Republic of Liberia
• Tel [phone]
• Email ndpayne2003_at_yahoo.com

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