Following the recent repair of undersea cables that disrupted internet connectivity in March 2024, stakeholders are urging the government to strengthen the protection of Ghana's fiber optic cable infrastructure along major roads.
The disruption impacted four West African countries, including Ghana, and left millions without reliable internet access for a few weeks.
While the National Communications Authority (NCA) has confirmed the full restoration of internet access, the Ghana Telecoms Chamber emphasises the need for improved protection of onshore fiber optic infrastructure to ensure consistent and reliable service.
The Director General of the NCA, Dr Joe Anokye, acknowledged the completion of repair works and announced that the Authority is implementing the country's satellite services policy framework to mitigate the effects of similar disruptions in the future.
Speaking to JoyNews, he stated that, “we are happy to announce that all four sub-sea cable landing service providers, ACE, SAT-3, and WACS, have completed repairs on the sub-sea capable that got damaged, leading to the March 14th incident. According to the sub-sea-capable service providers, all four cable faults were found at the crossing with the sub-sea on the coast of Abidjan.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Telecoms Chamber, Ken Ashigbey, has raised concerns over the frequent cuts to fiber optic cables across Ghana due to road and drainage construction works.
He emphasised the need to treat these cables as national security assets and prioritise their protection to ensure improved service delivery.
“When we continue to have the incidence where a lot of fiber cut-up goes on when drainage works and road constructions are happening, and other private developers are affected by these fiber cuts, they result in a significant impact on our quality and service as we build on the resilience of the undersea cable and other torrential connectivity.
“We need to ensure that our trunks and the last mile of connectivity are protected. We have all seen the importance of data connectivity in our lives. So, we need to start treating fiber connectivity as a critical resource, and that needs a lot more protection than we have been doing in the past. So, if we want to see further improvement in the quality of our services, we need to do a lot more to protect our infrastructure,” he noted.
Latest Stories
-
35th CIMG Awards: Full list of winners
1 hour -
The Multimedia Group wins big at CIMG Awards 2023
2 hours -
Bernard Mornah wins PNC flagbearship race
3 hours -
Video: Confusion at PNC National Executives election
3 hours -
Rapper E.L. joins King Promise as Guinness Accravaganza headliner for September 21 showdown
4 hours -
PNC Congress: Bernard Mornah leads in Greater Accra Region
5 hours -
Reject violence, divisive rhetoric, embrace peace ahead of elections – Bawumia appeals to Ghanaians
5 hours -
SEFF’s debut single ‘Father’ sets stage for bold new talent
6 hours -
Super typhoon Yagi kills four in Vietnam
6 hours -
Hollard Insurance-UENR Mentoring Day: Students urged to let hard work, integrity shine to advance career
6 hours -
2024/25 GPL: Vision FC opens campaign with draw against Berekum Chelsea
6 hours -
If Baba Yara pitch was good, Mumin clears the ball – Laryea Kingston
7 hours -
GPL 2024/25: Samartex begin title defence with draw against Dreams FC
8 hours -
Financing road construction and maintenance through a special fuel levy: A sustainable solution for Ghana’s road infrastructure
8 hours -
Ghana Celebrity Impact Awards 2024 launched to honor positive social influence
8 hours