By Darko Emmanuel
Ghana has recorded 8,578 fibre-optic cable cuts so far in 2026, with the damage costing telecommunications operators more than US$20 million in repairs, Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George has disclosed.
The Minister said road construction under the government’s Big Push programme accounted for about 49 per cent of the fibre cuts, making it the largest reported source of damage to telecommunications infrastructure.
Illegal mining was responsible for about 25 per cent of the cuts recorded across the country, he added.
The frequent damage to fibre-optic cables has disrupted telecommunications services and increased the financial burden on network operators, which have to divert funds towards repairing damaged infrastructure.
Mr George said the money spent on repairs could otherwise be used by telecommunications companies to expand network coverage and invest in new infrastructure.
The scale of the damage has become a growing concern as Ghana expands its digital economy and becomes increasingly dependent on reliable internet and telecommunications services.
The government has therefore stressed the need for better coordination during road construction and other development projects to protect existing fibre infrastructure.
Reducing fibre cuts would not only help maintain reliable communication services but also protect investments in Ghana’s digital infrastructure and support efforts to expand connectivity across the country.
