Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the minister for communications and digitalization has disclosed that about 4 million Ghanaians in rural communities will benefiting from a rural telephony connectivity program under her ministry.
The minister made the disclosure on Saturday, 6th May, 2023 after she had commissioned two telephony facilities for Mognori and Sumpini and also inspected two other telephony project sites in Murugu and Lagantere all in the west Gonja municipality.
The ministry of communication through the Ghana Investment fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) is expected to connect over 4 million Ghanaians leaving in the rural communities to voice mobile network and data services by building 2016 cell sites by the end of 2023.
She further disclosed that about 1010 telephony facilities have been build so far a cross the country with about half of that being connected with the hope that the rest will soon be completed for about 4 to 5 million Ghanaians who are not connected.
The Rural Connectivity Programme seeks to extend the coverage of mobile telephone services into all areas of the country where access to such services are not adequately available, and where existing licensed operators have proven unwilling or unable to expand their networks, due to commercial or other technological constraints.
The Rural Telephony Project (RTP) is aimed at closing the vacuum created by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) during their rollout.
The project which began in 2009 but received a boost under president Akufo Addo was necessitated by poor telecommunication connectivity and internet access in most Communities in rural Ghana which has been challenged with difficulties in telecommunication access, hence had to climb trees, hills, mountains or have to be at a particular location in order to get service connection to make calls.
According to her, the situation has became more problematic as students in network deprived areas can’t receive, benefit and contribute to and from the information, therefore lacking behind in the global competition of ICT.
The uncommissioned cell sites inspected by the minister has not been connected due to some technical issues and therefore assured by the minister to community members that her ministry and government will ensure the full operationalization of the site, noting that, it is government’s interest to make everyone have a feel of digitalization.
“The network operators think it is expensive to put in a cell sites and the network to connect them” explaining that government has decided to partner with them (network operators) to build the infastructure for the network operators to deliver the services to the people in rural communities.
She also indicated that due to the importance government attached to the digitalization, telecommunication and ICT facilities, it will continue to provide communication infrastructure in all parts of the country.
She also stated that, the Akufo Addo and Dr. Bawumia government is determined to make digitalization a priority and not to leave no one behind.
“The government is determined to build a robust rural network to connect all unserved and underserved communities with high speed voice and data services, so that such Communities can participate in applying for jobs, schools, check BECE results, do mobile money and renew their health insurance cards at theircomfort” she said.
The minister emphasized on the need to have a universal access to telecommunication to create opportunities and in the delivery of goods and services at lower fiscal and environmental cost through traditional methods.
The Ghana rural telephony and digital inclusion project (GRT & DIP) has achieved some milestone to date, including the building of 1008 sites out of which 479 are active and delivering network and data services to roaming subscribers in underserved or unserved communities as at December 2022
The CEO of the Ghana Investment fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Mr. Prince Sefah on his part indicated that their job is to digitise which includes the provision of network, computer facilities and also knowledge to use them.
He applauded the minister for communication and digitalization, Mrs Ursula Owusu for her hard work and her support towards GIFEC, expressing that, the minister has always tasked them to ensure quality work is done, resulting to the building of 300 of the facilities annually and also stated that “It is not by accident that the minister is call Queen of digitalization”
He therefore cautioned Community members to take good care of the facilities by ensuring that they are not distroyed by criminals and also admonished that, Community members should always confine with GIFEC’s regional manager and the municipal chief executive to resolve technical problems
Hon. Musah Karim Kusubari, the MCE for west Gonja in a key address thanked the minister for communication and digitalization and GIFEC team for the provision of network to the beneficiary communities and also thanked the community members for believing in the NPP government and the MP for Damongo constituency lawyer Samuel Abu Jinapor noting that it is the MP that has facilitated for the provision of electricity and the network for them.
He acknowledged that there are several developmental challenges in the communities which the NPP government is resolved to address through the efforts of the MP for the Damongo constituency, a man he described as one who can turn things around hence calling on community members to trust and believe in the MP for more development.
The beneficiary Community members expressed gratitude to the minister for communications and digitalization, GIFEC and the MP for Damongo for ensuring that they have a feel of the national cake when it comes to network accessibility and therefore called for more developmental projects such as schools, health facilities, teachers bungalow and more for their communities.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Gogu Edwin/0555588660
