It will cost about US$20m to repair fibre cuts this year – Communications Minister

Ghana is expected to spend about US$20 million this year to repair damaged fibre infrastructure, Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George, has disclosed.

He said the frequent fibre cuts are putting additional pressure on telecommunications operators and diverting funds that could otherwise be used to expand and improve network infrastructure.

According to the Minister, about 8,578 fibre cuts have already been recorded this year, with the figure expected to approach 9,000 by the end of 2026.

“In this year alone we are looking at 8,578 fibre cuts, and the cost of that alone is about 20 million US dollars in repairing fibre cuts,” Samuel Nartey George said when he appeared at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, September 7.

The Minister said road construction activities remain the biggest source of fibre cuts, accounting for about 49 per cent of the incidents recorded.

He explained that excavation works by road contractors can damage fibre infrastructure, resulting in prolonged network disruptions in affected communities.

He said other causes include illegal mining activities, which account for about 25 per cent of fibre cuts, while private and estate developers account for about 26 per cent.

The Minister said the financial burden of repairing the damaged infrastructure could instead be invested in building new cell sites and improving network coverage.

“That’s money that without the fibre cut we could have used to build new sites,” he said.

To address the problem, he said the government is developing a coordination framework requiring road agencies and contractors to engage telecommunications operators before excavation works begin.

He said the government is also considering a policy to require road construction projects to include dedicated fibre chambers alongside roads to protect telecommunications infrastructure.