By Muyid Deen Suleman
Nyameama No. 1 (Ash), Oct. 15, GNA – Five new telephony sites in the Ashanti region will be activated by the end of October 2026.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Minister for Telecommunication, Digital Technology and Innovations, who made this known, said telecommunication services would also be extended to three additional sites in the Sekyere Afram Plains district of the Ashanti region.
He has therefore, directed the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and its contractors to expedite efforts to extend telecommunications services to the three additional communities in the Sekyere Afram Plains District.
Mr Nartey, made the call during an inspection of four Rural Telephony Project sites at Nyameama No. 1, Nyameama No. 2, Dawia, and Abenua, all in the Sekyere Afram Plains.
The working tour aimed to assess construction progress, identify implementation challenges, and ensure the timely completion of all outstanding works in the Sekyere Afram Plains District.
He emphasized that the Rural Telephony Project was designed to bridge the digital divide by extending network coverage to communities that mainstream telecommunications operators might otherwise deem commercially unviable.
According to him, communities within the Sekyere Afram Plains district were among those prioritized for enhanced network coverage.
He commended the Member of Parliament of the area for actively advocating for better telecommunications services and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing connectivity gaps across the country.
He disclosed that the government was also collaborating with MTN Ghana to deploy 800 new telecommunications sites nationwide.
The Minister underscored the urgent need to upgrade existing rural networks from 3G to 4G, warning that advancing digital services in urban centers without corresponding improvements in rural communities could widen the digital divide as Ghana moved towards broader 5G.
Mr. Samuel George also announced plans for a comprehensive audit of all Rural Telephony Project sites inherited by the current administration.
This audit will establish the actual completion status of the sites and verify whether facilities reported as operational were actively delivering network services.
He urged traditional authorities and residents to safeguard the newly installed equipment to prevent vandalism and service disruptions.
Mr Abubakar Issaka, District Chief Executive (DCE), commended the Minister for prioritizing the district’s connectivity needs and pledged the Assembly’s full support in protecting and maintaining the facilities.
The inspection was part of the Minister’s ongoing efforts to monitor rural telecommunications projects, resolve implementation challenges, and extend reliable digital connectivity to underserved communities in Ghana.
The Minister was accompanied by the District Chief Executive for Sekyere Afram Plains, Hon. Abubakar Issaka, the Administrator of GIFEC, Mr. Rashid Tanko and officials from both the Ministry and GIFEC.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Kenneth Odeng Adade