Sam George Announces National Audit of Rural Telephony Project
The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, has announced plans for a national audit of the Rural Telephony Programme to verify completed works and ensure value for money.
He said the audit would examine the state of cell sites constructed under the project, which was inherited from the previous administration, and identify gaps requiring immediate attention.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, at the Regional Coordinating Council, Mr George said the ministry would begin the audit within the next few weeks.
The visit formed part of his working tour of the Ashanti Region to inspect One Million Coders Programme (OMCP) centres and telecommunications infrastructure.
“The entire project that's been done [will be audited] to ensure that the people of Ghana get true value for what it is that the taxpayers' money has been used in the rural telephony space,” he said.
Mr George explained that the ministry was visiting project sites to independently verify reports submitted by contractors and establish whether the reported levels of completion reflected the situation on the ground.
He said the exercise would also cover the broader state of Ghana's telephone network infrastructure, including facilities operated by mobile network operators.
The minister is expected to inspect several sites during the tour to assess progress, identify connectivity gaps and determine the steps needed to improve network coverage.
On the One Million Coders Programme, Mr George said the ministry would assess participation levels in the Ashanti Region, with a visit planned to Asawase, which he described as the programme's most active constituency nationwide.
He said the strong demand in Asawase could require the establishment of additional learning centres to accommodate more participants.
The minister also announced an expansion of the programme at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where 2,000 additional laptops were being provided.
He said the new allocation would support the establishment of 40 additional learning sites, bringing the total number of centres on the university campus to 50.
Mr George added that the ministry would explore partnerships with other institutions, including Kumasi Technical University, to widen access to digital skills training.
He also commended Dr Amoakohene for facilitating office space for the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) in Kumasi, expressing hope that the office would become operational early next year.
According to him, the office would serve not only the Ashanti Region but also the wider Middle Belt, including Bono East and Ahafo, strengthening cybersecurity support and digital resilience.
Dr Amoakohene welcomed the minister's visit and said the region was working to establish technology and information centres across districts to support the decentralisation of the One Million Coders Programme.
He said Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives had been asked to consider rehabilitating suitable facilities under their second-quarter budgets to accommodate computers and training activities.
The Regional Minister also said the region was compiling a database of communities without reliable telephone and internet access to help the ministry plan future network expansion.
He said the information would be submitted to the ministry to support efforts to extend connectivity to underserved communities, particularly farming areas.
Dr Amoakohene further praised the ministry's support in tackling cybercrime and facilitating plans for a Cyber Security Authority office in Kumasi.
He urged the minister to maintain attention on the region, noting that improved digital infrastructure, skills training and cybersecurity services were important to the Ashanti Region's development.
Mr George said the 48-hour tour would help the ministry establish firsthand the progress made on ongoing projects and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.
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