Residents of Numereso, a rural community in the Amansie Central District in the Ashanti region, are compelled to climb a nearby mountain for hours to access mobile phone networks, highlighting the community’s long-standing digital isolation.

The community has been without reliable mobile connectivity since 2018, when efforts to extend network coverage to the area reportedly failed.

According to residents, accessing a stable signal requires travelling to a designated spot on the mountain, where they often spend more than three hours to make or receive calls. Many are forced to hire motorbikes to reach the location, increasing their financial burden.

Beyond the inconvenience, residents say the situation poses serious security and privacy concerns, with calls made in the open bush, personal conversations are easily overheard, while criminals are said to target residents carrying mobile phones.

"We have no privacy when making phone calls in this community. The network situation is extremely poor and none of the telecom companies provides reliable service here. We urgently need intervention from the government and the telecom operators," residents lamented.

The Unit Committee Secretary of Numereso, Isaac Kyei Baffour Abebrese, described the lack of mobile connectivity as a major threat to community security.

He explained that the absence of reliable networks makes it difficult to alert the police during robbery incidents and other emergencies.

"The community authorities together with our assembly member have reported this issue to the relevant bodies on several occasions, but it appears our concerns have been ignored," he said, expressing deep frustration.

Residents are appealing to the government and telecommunications companies to prioritise the extension of mobile network coverage to the area.