ACCRA, Ghana, 7th September: Power disruptions and flooding are among the major factors affecting the quality and availability of telecommunications services in Ghana, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, has disclosed.
He said disruptions to the national power grid could directly affect telecommunications infrastructure because mobile network sites depend primarily on electricity from the national grid, with batteries and generators serving as backup systems.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency, Sam George said major incidents affecting the power system could therefore have a knock-on effect on telecommunications services.
He cited the Akosombo fire incident, which he said affected the national grid and knocked out close to 60 per cent of the country’s power capacity.
According to him, the impact of such an incident extends beyond electricity consumers because telecom sites that depend on the power grid can also be affected.
The Minister also cited the recent floods in Greater Accra as another major challenge to telecommunications infrastructure.
He explained that while generators at affected mobile network sites would normally serve as backup when the national grid goes down, some generators were submerged during the floods and were therefore unable to operate.
In some locations, he said, the national grid had to be intentionally switched off during the floods to prevent electrocution, further affecting telecommunications services.
He said the damage did not end when floodwaters receded because operators subsequently had to replace damaged generators and other equipment before restoring full service.
He said the situation demonstrated that improving network quality required more than simply constructing additional cell sites.
The Minister said government is consequently pursuing a coordinated approach to building a more resilient telecommunications network.
He said the government is also addressing other causes of network disruptions, particularly fibre cuts caused by road construction, illegal mining and private development activities.
Sam George disclosed that approximately US$20 million is expected to be spent in 2026 repairing fibre cuts, describing the expenditure as resources that could otherwise have been used to expand network infrastructure.
He said the government’s broader objective was to build a more resilient digital infrastructure capable of maintaining reliable services even when the country faces power disruptions, flooding and other infrastructure challenges.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭