MTN to invest $143.7 million in network expansion in 2017

Elmina (C/R), June 30, GNA - Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN), Ghana is to invest $143.7 million to expand, upgrade and maintain its state-of -the art network infrastructure to better serve its valued customers.

Addressing editors in the Central Region on Wednesday in Elmina, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Service Executive of MTN, said the expansion was necessary to consolidate their lead as the largest telecommunication network provider and to accomplish their mantra of 'everywhere you go'.

She said by the expansion,197 new 4G sites would be added to the existing 475 sites, additional 561 new 3G sites would also be built, while old sites were expected to be upgraded to ensure that they continued to stay ahead of demands for customers to experience utmost satisfaction.

Mrs. Lumor said the company would consider going solar power to ensure regular power supply at its sites especially at areas where there were no electricity.

She said MTN Ghana paid a total of GH¢ 713 million in excess of taxes to the Government of Ghana in the year 2016.

She said the company also paid GH¢ 394.4 million as fees and duties to the National Communication Authority and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC).

Mrs. Lumor stressed that MTN as one of the big tax payers in the country was poised to implement sustainable projects that would enrich the lives of Ghanaians, adding that, 'we are committed towards the building of vital infrastructure and services to Ghanaians".

She said MTN had created more than 500,000 jobs while about four million lives had been impacted as a result of its cooperate social responsibility projects.

In the Central Region alone, she said there were over 600,000 beneficiaries from 14 projects amounting to more than GH¢ 1. 8million.

Among its challenges, she mentioned were fibre cuts, battery theft and sim box fraud and called for support from the public to ensure that these menace were brought under control.

GNA

By Afedzi Abdullah/Grace Darko, GNA