The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has sounded the alarm over a dramatic rise in fibre cuts across the country, warning that the growing problem is draining resources and threatening network reliability.
Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, revealed that telecom operators now contend with more than 8,000 fibre cuts every year—an alarming jump from the roughly 400 annual cases recorded during the early years of network expansion.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Chamber’s 15th anniversary soft launch, she said telecom companies are being forced to redirect funds meant for network expansion and service upgrades into repairing damaged fibre lines.
According to her, the challenge has worsened as Ghana’s telecom infrastructure expanded rapidly over the years, helping internet penetration grow from about four percent to more than 70 percent nationwide.
She described fibre cuts as one of the biggest threats to service stability, noting that repeated disruptions continue to affect network quality and customer experience.
“We are experiencing over 8,000 cuts per annum, and it is putting enormous pressure on operators. Investments meant for expansion are now being used for repairs to maintain service quality,” she said.
To tackle the growing crisis, the Chamber is intensifying calls for the implementation of a national “dig once” policy, which would require fibre duct systems to be incorporated into major road construction projects.
The policy is expected to protect fibre infrastructure by creating secure underground ducts that telecom operators can access without frequent disruptions caused by road works and construction activities.
The Chamber says discussions on the proposal have already reached Cabinet level and is urging government to fast-track implementation.
Ms Owusu-Ankomah stressed that ending persistent fibre cuts is critical to safeguarding Ghana’s digital transformation agenda and improving telecommunications services across the country.
