Telcos Bleed $69m Through Fibre Cuts And Theft
Telecommunications operators in Ghana have lost more than $69 million over the past four years due to persistent fibre cuts and theft of critical infrastructure, a situation industry players say continues to threaten network reliability and service delivery nationwide.
The Director of External Affairs at Telecel Ghana, Komla Buami, disclosed this in an interview with Swiftnews3 after a media roundtable discussion held in Kumasi on Monday, June 1.
According to him, fibre cuts remain one of the biggest challenges facing telecommunications companies, with the industry recording between three and nine incidents daily.
Mr. Buami explained that while road construction activities account for some of the damage, deliberate acts of vandalism by individuals have become a growing concern.
He noted that before the migration from copper cables to fibre infrastructure, thieves often targeted copper cables. However, some individuals now deliberately cut fibre cables, disrupting internet and voice services for millions of subscribers.
“On average, we experience between three and nine fibre cuts every day. Repairing these damages comes at a huge cost to the industry. More importantly, each fibre cut affects millions of people who depend on connectivity for communication, business and other essential activities,” he said.
The Telecel official indicated that restoring damaged fibre infrastructure is often a complicated process, as engineers must first identify the exact location of the fault before repair works can begin.
He also raised concerns over the theft of aluminium covers protecting fibre installations, saying the practice exposes critical infrastructure to further damage and operational challenges.
Public Asked To Join Fight
Mr. Buami called on Ghanaians to support efforts aimed at protecting telecommunications infrastructure, stressing that safeguarding such facilities is a collective responsibility.
“We are appealing to everyone who uses internet and voice services to become watchdogs and help protect these installations. The effects of fibre cuts are felt by all users, and therefore everyone has a role to play in preventing them,” he stated.
He disclosed that industry players have engaged the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ministry of Communications to explore practical measures to reduce fibre cuts across the country.
According to him, stakeholders are committed to working together to address the challenge and minimise disruptions to telecommunications services.
Equipment Theft Worsens Situation
Beyond fibre cuts, Mr. Buami identified theft of telecommunications equipment as another major challenge confronting the industry.
He revealed that despite security measures at telecommunications sites, criminals continue to break into facilities and steal generators and other equipment used to support network operations.
Such incidents, he said, often result in service outages and leave thousands of customers without connectivity.
“Any theft of telecommunications equipment means people will go without connectivity. Telecommunications infrastructure is critical national infrastructure and must be protected by all of us,” he stressed.
Mr. Buami therefore appealed to security agencies to include telecommunications installations on their routine security watch lists to help prevent theft and vandalism.
He assured customers that Telecel’s security teams remain vigilant and are continuously strengthening measures to protect company assets and maintain uninterrupted service delivery.
He added that some arrests have already been made in connection with previous cases of theft and vandalism, while additional security interventions are being implemented to curb future incidents.
The Telecel executive further called on the media, communities and other stakeholders to support ongoing campaigns aimed at protecting telecommunications infrastructure, saying the stability of the country’s digital economy depends heavily on reliable network connectivity.
