During a visit to four Rural Telephony Project sites in the Sekyere Afram Plains District, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation Samuel Nartey George announced that five new telecommunications sites in the Ashanti Region are expected to be activated by the end of October 2026.
The minister also revealed plans to extend telecommunications services to three additional communities in the district, directing the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and its contractors to accelerate work to improve connectivity in the area.
Mr George’s tour of the Nyameama No. 1, Nyameama No. 2, Dawia and Abenua sites was aimed at assessing construction progress, identifying implementation challenges and ensuring the timely completion of outstanding works.
He explained that the Rural Telephony Project was designed to bridge the digital divide by extending network coverage to communities that mainstream telecommunications operators might consider commercially unviable, and highlighted the Sekyere Afram Plains District as a priority area for improved coverage.
The minister praised the district’s Member of Parliament for advocating better telecommunications services and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing connectivity gaps across the country.
Mr George also disclosed that the government is collaborating with MTN Ghana to deploy 800 additional telecommunications sites nationwide, and stressed the need to upgrade existing rural networks from 3G to 4G to avoid widening the digital divide as Ghana moves towards broader 5G deployment.
He announced plans to conduct a comprehensive audit of all Rural Telephony Project sites inherited by the current administration to establish the actual completion status and verify that facilities reported as operational are actively providing network services.
The minister urged traditional authorities and residents to protect the installed equipment against vandalism to prevent service disruptions.
The District Chief Executive for Sekyere Afram Plains, Abubakar Issaka, commended the minister for prioritising the district’s connectivity needs and pledged the Assembly’s support in protecting and maintaining the facilities.
The inspection was part of the minister’s ongoing efforts to monitor rural telecommunications projects, address implementation challenges and extend reliable digital connectivity to underserved communities.
