UEW-ICT Education Students Gain First-Hand Experience at NCA
The Department of ICT Education at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has deepened its commitment to practical learning, embarking on an educational visit to the National Communications Authority (NCA) in Accra on Friday, 29th August 2025.
The trip, which formed part of the Department’s industry engagement initiatives, involved 164 students under the guidance of Dr. Stephen Opoku Oppong, Chief Patron of the Technology Education Students’ Society (INFOCTESS).
The students were received by Ms. Mabel N. Odamtten from the Consumer Affairs Department of the NCA who applauded their enthusiasm and emphasised the importance of understanding the Authority’s regulatory role in Ghana’s fast-evolving communications sector.
Presentations during the visit offered students a comprehensive overview of the NCA’s operations. Mr. Emmanuel Ayisi introduced the history, mission, vision and core values of the Authority, explaining its mandate to regulate Ghana’s communications industry, safeguard consumer interests and promote innovation.
A series of technical sessions followed. Mrs. Eunice Debrah and Mr. Kweku Inkoom explained the intricate process of spectrum management, underscoring how the NCA allocates and monitors radio frequencies while tackling real-life challenges such as interference among service providers. In another session, Mr. Razak Salifu and Mr. Francis Yiryel shed light on licensing and numbering, detailing the categories of licenses, compliance requirements and the national numbering plan which governs phone numbers, short-codes and emergency services.
Consumer protection also featured prominently, as Mr. Elaine Brew and Ms. Hannel Adoctar walked students through the Authority’s complaints management systems, highlighting real case studies where consumer grievances had been successfully resolved.
The visit further exposed students to critical national infrastructure. At the NCA-CERT room, they gained insights into Ghana’s cybersecurity response, witnessing live demonstrations of how cyber threats are detected and managed. They also toured the Common Platform where Mr. Samuel Agyakum explained how telecom traffic is monitored to promote transparency, revenue assurance and fraud detection.
The Broadcasting Monitoring Centre provided yet another eye-opening experience. Led by Mr. Edem Debrah, students observed how radio and television content is tracked and archived to ensure compliance with broadcasting standards. A tour of the satellite field capped the day, offering students a first-hand look at how satellite signals are captured and relayed to support communications and broadcasting in Ghana.
The leadership of INFOCTESS commended both the University management for supporting the trip and the NCA for its hospitality and detailed presentations. The students described the experience as highly enriching, recommending that such educational visits be sustained to bridge the gap between classroom theory and industry practice.
With this initiative, UEW continues to affirm its commitment to producing ICT professionals who are not only academically sound but also industry-ready, equipped with the knowledge and exposure to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s digital transformation.
