The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has announced that five new telecommunications sites in the Ashanti Region are expected to be activated by the end of October 2026.

He also disclosed plans to extend telecommunications services to three additional communities in the Sekyere Afram Plains District, directing the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and its contractors to accelerate work to improve connectivity in the area.

Mr George announced this during an inspection of four Rural Telephony Project sites at Nyameama No. 1, Nyameama No. 2, Dawia and Abenua in the Sekyere Afram Plains District.

The tour was intended to assess construction progress, identify implementation challenges and ensure the timely completion of outstanding works.

The Minister said the Rural Telephony Project was designed to bridge the digital divide by extending network coverage to communities that mainstream telecommunications operators might consider commercially unviable.

He noted that communities in the Sekyere Afram Plains District were among those prioritised for improved network coverage.

He commended the area’s Member of Parliament for advocating better telecommunications services and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing connectivity gaps across the country.

Mr George also disclosed that the government was collaborating with MTN Ghana to deploy 800 additional telecommunications sites nationwide.

He stressed the need to upgrade existing rural networks from 3G to 4G, warning that expanding digital services in urban centres without corresponding improvements in rural communities could widen the digital divide as Ghana moved towards broader 5G deployment.

The Minister further announced plans to conduct a comprehensive audit of all Rural Telephony Project sites inherited by the current administration.

The exercise will establish the actual completion status of the sites and verify whether facilities reported as operational are actively providing network services.

He urged traditional authorities and residents to protect the installed equipment against vandalism to prevent service disruptions.

The District Chief Executive for Sekyere Afram Plains, Abubakar Issaka, commended the Minister for prioritising the district’s connectivity needs and pledged the Assembly’s support in protecting and maintaining the facilities.

The inspection formed part of the Minister’s ongoing efforts to monitor rural telecommunications projects, address implementation challenges and extend reliable digital connectivity to underserved communities.

Mr George was accompanied by Mr Issaka, GIFEC Administrator Rashid Tanko and officials from the Ministry and GIFEC.