Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George said on Monday that the government’s Big Push road programme is the main culprit behind the surge in fibre cuts across Ghana. He disclosed that uncoordinated excavation and a lack of approved drawings between road contractors and telecom operators are the primary causes.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series held at Jubilee House, Mr George projected that Ghana will record 8,578 fibre cuts in 2026, with 4,289 already logged in the first half of the year. The frequent damage has significant financial and operational consequences, with an average repair cost of about US$2,045 per cut and more than US$20 million spent on repairs in 2025 alone.
“The single largest cause, by a wide margin, is uncoordinated excavation connected to road construction, and in particular to the Government’s own ‘Big Push’ road programme, which accounts for roughly half of all road‑related fibre cuts each month,” Mr George said.
The ministry is responding with a joint Cabinet Memorandum with the Ministry of Roads and Highways on the Dig Once Policy, which requires telecommunications infrastructure to be incorporated into road construction planning. A coordination framework is also being finalised to ensure road agencies and contractors engage telecom operators before excavation begins.
Mr George added that the Ministry will introduce enforceable cost‑recovery penalties for third‑party damage to telecommunications infrastructure. The policy aims to reduce indiscriminate fibre cuts while lowering the overall cost of deploying fibre across the country.
What to watch: The new policy and coordination framework are expected to roll out soon, potentially curbing the rising trend of fibre cuts and saving millions of dollars in repair costs.
