1st Quarter Of 2019: MTN records highest number of fiber cuts in Western and Central Regions

• Posted on June 21, 2019
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

A total of 82 fiber cuts were recorded in Western and Central Regions of Ghana, the highest on the national chart, Manager in charge of Regulatory Affairs of MTN Ghana, Samuel Bartels has revealed.

According to Mr Bartels, the total detected fiber cuts nationally stands at 137, as at March 2019, with the Western and Central regions recording approximately 50 percent rise in such occurrence. 

The issue of fiber cuts he said was very prevalent between February and March this year, resulting in serious redundancy of network connectivity across the country. 

“The statistics revealed that 56 and 35 percent of these fiber damages were caused by government and private developers respectively.”

In the Western Region alone, the report indicates that about 33 detected fiber cuts were recorded in the Tarkwa Nsuam Municipality, whiles the Wassa Amenfi Central and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis recorded 17 and 12 cases of fiber cuts respectively.

Mr Bartels at an editors’ forum in Takoradi on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 indicated that the cost incurred of repairing these fiber cuts stood at two million Ghana cedis only for the first quarter.

Meanwhile due to loss suffered by telcos and their clients and to a larger extent government, Mr Bartels saids the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications is however contemplating an LI to protect these installations. 

Corporate Services Executive for MTN Ghana, Samuel Koranteng is however hopeful that when persons and organisations that causes damage to their fibers are made to face the rigors of the law it will limit the cost on them so them can concentrate on improving service to their customers.

Author: Patrick Ennimil Arthur