Galamsey Causes 25% of Ghana’s Fibre Cuts – Sam George
Illegal mining, popularly known as 'galamsey', is responsible for approximately 25 per cent of fibre cuts affecting Ghana’s telecommunications infrastructure, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel Nartey George has disclosed.
Speaking during the Government’s Accountability Series, Sam George said the telecommunications industry was among the sectors suffering significant damage from illegal mining activities.
He explained that galamsey operators frequently excavated areas without knowing or considering the presence of underground telecommunications infrastructure.
“Galamsey operators, they won't report anything to you. So it's a real challenge that the sector is facing,” he said.
The minister said the damage caused by illegal mining was contributing directly to network degradation and service interruptions across the country.
According to him, Ghana could record almost 9,000 fibre cuts in 2026, with more than 4,300 already recorded by the end of June.
Road construction accounted for 49 per cent of the cuts, while galamsey represented 25 per cent.
Private developers and other activities accounted for the remaining 26 per cent.
Sam George said the financial consequences were severe, with the telecom sector expected to spend more than US$20 million this year repairing damaged fibre.
He said such expenditure represented money that could otherwise have been used to expand network capacity and improve coverage.
The minister stressed that protecting fibre infrastructure must become part of the broader national response to activities that threaten critical infrastructure.
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