Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has announced plans for a nationwide intervention to address gaps in Ghana’s rural telecommunications network following an assessment of connectivity challenges in the Eastern Region.
Mr George said the government has identified several bottlenecks affecting rural telephony and will develop a comprehensive programme to address the challenges across the country.
He made the announcement after visiting several rural telephony sites in the Eastern Region as part of a nationwide tour to inspect telecommunications infrastructure and assess the state of connectivity.
The Minister was accompanied by the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), and the Chief Technical Officer of MTN.
According to Mr George, the team used the tour to identify challenges affecting both existing and ongoing rural telephony projects.
“We’re going to put together a holistic programme that doesn’t just cover the Eastern Region but the entire country on addressing the shortcomings in our rural telephony network,” he said.
He added that the government would also work to expedite ongoing projects aimed at improving national telecommunications coverage.
Mr George stressed that the government was committed to ensuring that Ghanaians receive better value and improved customer experiences from telecommunications service providers.
“This is part of our nationwide tour to inspect the infrastructure and see where we stand and what we need to take remedial action on immediately,” he stated.
The Communications Minister disclosed that the nationwide assessment would continue in other parts of the country.
He said the Volta Region had already been covered, while planned visits would include the Savannah, Ahafo, Oti and Central Regions, with the Ashanti Region also expected to be covered.
He added that parts of the Greater Accra Region would continue to be assessed as the government works to identify and address connectivity challenges.
The nationwide exercise forms part of efforts by the Communications Ministry and its agencies to strengthen Ghana’s telecommunications infrastructure and improve access to reliable connectivity, particularly in underserved communities.
