Poor mobile network connectivity in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region is increasingly being described by residents as a silent economic burden, disrupting business operations, delaying public services, and frustrating everyday communication.
Traders, mobile money vendors, students, and health service users say persistent call failures, delayed messages, and unstable internet access are costing them time, money, and productivity.
Residents say the situation has become especially damaging for small businesses that depend on mobile communication for transactions and customer engagement.
“We often lose customers because calls fail or mobile money confirmations take too long to arrive,” said Mr Gabriel Sokpoli, a resident of Vui and a mobile money vendor.
He explained that repeated network interruptions frequently lead to failed transactions, wasted airtime, and disputes between customers and agents trying to complete payments.
The problem, according to residents, becomes more severe during peak hours when network congestion worsens already unstable service quality.
Beyond commerce, residents say the weak connectivity is also affecting access to essential public services such as NHIS registration and National Identification Authority (NIA) biometric enrolment.
Applicants report long delays, failed data submissions, and repeated visits to registration centres due to system interruptions caused by poor internet service.
Students in tertiary and nursing institutions also say the situation is affecting academic activities, including course registration and examination result checks.
Some residents warn that continued instability could deepen exclusion from digital services and discourage participation in key national programmes that rely on online platforms.
Mobile money operators further lament that reconciliation of daily transactions has become increasingly difficult, leading to confusion and reduced trust between service providers and customers.
Residents are therefore calling on the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and telecom operators to urgently improve network infrastructure in Keta and surrounding communities, arguing that reliable connectivity is now essential for both economic survival and access to public services.
Until then, many say they remain trapped in daily struggles with dropped calls, failed transactions, and unreliable internet access in an increasingly digital economy.
