Telecoms firms urged to extend services to rural areas

Dr Edward Omane-Boamah, Minister of Communications, has appealed to telecommunication companies operating in the country to extend their services to rural areas.

This, he said, would ensure that all parts of the country had access to the service and help improve communication and the use of technology.

Addressing the press after a closed door meeting with the management of Globacom Ghana, operators of Glo network on Friday, Dr Omane-Boamah bemoaned instances where victims of armed robbers especially in rural areas often had no access to telecommunication facilities.

“In Ghana, it is noted that armed robbers often attack travelers on sections of the road or areas  which have no coverage as this makes it easier for them to operate without anyone being able to call for help”, he said.

Dr Omane-Boamah also appealed to telecommunication organisations to come out with an appropriate technology which would halt the illegal use of telecommunication services by users outside the country without paying for them.

He congratulated Globacom for the measures it had employed to curb such “sim boxing” as it would serve as a motivation to other networks.

Dr Omane-Boamah said the Ministry would from next month constitute a board that would institute measures to curb cyber fraud in the country and called on Glo to furnish the Ministry with the details of their representative.

“We have discussed this issue with the Korean government and in July they would be here to help educate us on how to deal with this cyber fraud”, he said.

Mr Derrick Obuobi, Head of Administration, Globacom Ghana, cited the rampant stealing of fibre cables as the main problem facing the company and called on Government to help telecommunication companies deal permanently with it.

Source: GNA