By Team
Takoradi, March 19, GNA – Residents of Takoradi cannot hide their frustration as they continue to experience disruption in internet services, affecting many businesses, government and private organisations, which solely depend on the internet data for their operations.
Online users are faced with uncertainty about the five-week time frame issued by the National Communications Authority (NCA) for internet restoration.
Last Thursday, March 14, internet connections were disrupted due to some damage caused to some submarine cables, affecting mobile and fixed data services nationwide.
The Communications Minister, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Monday attributed the multiple undersea cable disruptions to a force majeure, which means an act of God.
She said the disruptions might have been caused by an undersea landslide in the Ivory Coast and Senegal, which affected mobile networks, especially MTN and Telecel.
Some residents of Takoradi, in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), expressed worry and dissatisfaction over the disruption of online services, hindering access to the various platforms for business transaction.
Mr Ashish Kumar, the Branch Manager of Intercom Programming and Manufacturing Company Limited (IPMC) Takoradi, said he was surprised as to why the restoration of the internet had taken so long.
The Company’s whole activities were dependent on the internet, including conducting examinations or sending details to students, he said, adding: “We cannot function as an institution if there is no internet connection, making it look as if we are in the village.”
Mr Alfred Owusu, the Senior Librarian, Takoradi Library, expressed the hope that the issue would be resolved for effective internet connectivity on all networks to enhance usage.
Mr Patrick Asare, a driver, said he had difficulty in purchasing credit for his smart meter online, due to the disruption in internet services.
He expressed the fear that if his electricity credit ran out and the issue of network services remained unresolved, it would mean he would sleep in darkness for as long as the problem persisted.
Mr Emmanuel Quansah, an online business marketer, expressed concern about his inability to advertise his business online as well as update his clients on recent developments of goods.
He hoped the estimated five weeks period given to restore services would be met for life to return to normalcy.
The NCA has encouraged the local Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet service providers and all stakeholders to participate in the operations of the Ghana Internet Exchange (GIX) to ensure an efficient local content delivery and a seamless local internet traffic.
GNA