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I am a business reporter with Daily Guide and Business Guide newspapers published by the Western Group of Companies. I was a general reporter when I joined Daily Guide in 2006, but along the line I realized the need to specialize. So I found business reporting as the best area to specialize and I have been on the desk for about four years now. Since I started reporting on business related issues my interest has being in the areas of telecommunications, the extractive industry (ie. oil, gas and mining), and the Small and Medium scale Enterprise (SME) sector. I have a page dedicated to SMEs in the weekly Business Guide newspaper were I write features on the SME sector in Ghana. In view of this I was adjudged the best SME reporter for 2009 during the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) awards in 2010. This has further motivated me to pursue development driven stories which will help change policies and enhance the livelihoods of Ghanaians. I am a member of the Ghana Journalists Association and an executive member of the Network of Communication Reporters (NCR) in Ghana.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Telcos Spend GH¢10m On Cable Cut Repairs


By Esther Awuah

As at the end of September 2012, telecommunication operators in the country had spent over GH¢10 million to repair cable cuts which were mainly caused by road construction works and excavations.

During the period there were more than 600 incidents of cuts to these cables. This number has increased nearly three-folds for the same period in 2011. 

Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, CEO Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications
This is beside the loss of potential revenue to network operators, the serious damage to the reputation of network operators and above all, the incalculable inconvenience to subscribers due to avoidable network downtime.

To find a lasting solution to the problems facing operators in the industry, the National Communications Authority (NCA), Ghana Chamber of Telecommunication and relevant stakeholders in the road sector met in Accra to discuss ways to mitigate the problem.

The forum also discussed issues on Right of Way (RoW) management.  

According to the Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, going forward network operators must take responsibility for laying cables as approved by permitting agency, including the use of appropriate markers and other standard precautionary measures to demarcate position of cables.

He indicated that another challenge is the issue of cable relocation cost.

“Until late 2011, network operators bore the cost of cable relocation during roads projects even if permits were within the validity period.”  “Collaboration between roads agencies and network operators working through the Chamber of Telecommunications has reduced this source of tension.”

He stressed the need for various stakeholders to discuss and institutionalize procedures for cable relocation, and also review procedures and clarify responsibilities for cable relocation.
George Aidoo, an official from the Ministry of Roads and Highway, said it was unfortunate to tag the road sector as the major cause of the challenges facing the telecoms industry.

He said “there are road expansion projects going on all over the country and cables are sometimes cut due to the telcos’ inability to follow laid down procedures.”

He explained that the Ministry had developed a manual on the RoW and how deep cables should be laid but the problem is enforcement and compliance.

The forum proposed a closer collaboration among relevant stakeholders in the sector in the execution of their mandate.

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