Sam George Orders Audit of 2016 Rural Telephony Sites

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has disclosed plans to audit 2016 rural telephony sites inherited by the government to establish their construction and operational status.

He said the exercise would help the ministry determine how many of the sites had been completed, which were actively providing connectivity and what challenges were preventing others from operating.

Sam George made the disclosure during a tour of rural connectivity sites in the Sekyere Afram Plains District of the Ashanti Region.

He said the government had inherited the contract covering the sites and was preparing to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the contractor's performance.

“Next week, we’re going to be having a meeting with the contractor and the ministry to do an evaluation of the work that he’s done,” he said.

The minister added that the GIFEC board had authorised its administrator to conduct an audit because it would not be practical for him to visit all the locations personally.

“At the board level, we’ve authorised the administrator also to carry out an audit,” he stated.

The exercise will examine whether the sites have been constructed and whether completed facilities are active and passing telecommunications traffic.

Hon. Sam George said reports received by the ministry had revealed several challenges affecting the performance of some rural connectivity sites.

These include the theft of batteries at solar-powered facilities, electricity supply problems at sites connected to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), and possible technical or connectivity faults.

He explained that communities sometimes reported network outages, only for investigations to reveal that the affected sites had suffered battery theft or power-related problems.

The minister appealed to traditional authorities and community members to help protect telecommunications equipment, particularly batteries used to keep solar-powered sites running.

He also called on the District Chief Executive to pay attention to the security and maintenance of the facilities.

Sam George said the audit would provide the ministry with a clearer picture of the work completed and the interventions required to ensure the infrastructure delivers the intended benefits.

He reiterated the government's commitment to improving rural connectivity and ensuring that investments in telecommunications infrastructure translate into reliable services for underserved communities.