Dr Abednego A. Lamangin Bandim, Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu Constituency, has urged telecommunication operators to strengthen their response to network disruptions in Northern Ghana.

He also urged the National Communications Authority (NCA) to pay particular attention to the frequency and duration of such disruptions and ensure that service providers met their obligations to consumers.

In a statement issued in Accra, Dr Bandim, who is also Chairman of Parliament’s Information and Communications Committee, said prolonged network disruptions could have serious implications for healthcare, education, businesses, emergency response and public safety.

He said the concerns were heightened by the apparent lack of timely communication to consumers whenever major disruptions occurred.

Dr Bandim said he experienced a major disruption to the MTN network while travelling from Salaga to Tamale on September 26, 2026.

The network went off at about 1100 hours and was not restored until 1800 hours, he explained.

He also received reports that several communities in the Northern sector, including parts of Damongo and Bunkpurugu, experienced similar disruptions that morning.

Dr Bandim acknowledged that telecommunication operators could encounter unforeseen technical challenges, including fibre cuts and other infrastructure-related faults.

He, however, said such challenges should not prevent operators from providing timely information to affected consumers.

The statement noted that although the nature of some faults might make it impossible for operators to provide advance notice, “the absence of advance notice cannot mean the absence of communication altogether.”

It said where a network was already down and SMS communication was not possible, operators could use other available platforms to inform the public about the disruption.

The statement urged network operators to place consumers at the centre of their response to service disruptions.

“It is not sufficient for telecommunication operators to communicate only with the relevant authorities while affected consumers remain uninformed,” it stated.

Consumers who paid for and depended on telecommunication services deserved to know when a significant disruption occurred, what had caused it and what was being done to restore service, it emphasised.

It urged MTN Ghana to strengthen its communication protocols and ensure that consumers were promptly informed whenever major network disruptions occurred.

The statement also appealed to the NCA to monitor the frequency and duration of network disruptions, particularly in Northern Ghana, and ensure that telecommunication service providers met their obligations to consumers.

Dr Bandim said he would continue to monitor the situation and engage relevant stakeholders to understand the causes of the recurring disruptions and measures being taken to prevent them.

The MP emphasised that reliable telecommunication services were “no longer a luxury” but essential to healthcare, education, commerce, emergency response and everyday life.

It, therefore, urged the relevant stakeholders to treat network disruptions with urgency and ensure that consumers in Northern Ghana received reliable services and timely information whenever disruptions occurred.