MTN dismayed over rampant fibre cuts
The Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) says it is dismayed at the rampant fibre cuts of its optic fibre cables by developers as well as contractors executing government projects across the length and breath of the country.
According to the Corporate Services Executive of MTN, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor the phenomenon was one of the major challenges to MTN’s smooth operations as it did not only hamper or interrupt services but also caused huge financial loss to it.
She expressed these sentiments at a day’s forum organized by the MTN at Elmina for editors in the Central Region and called on contractors and developers undertaking excavation works for projects to seek clearance not only from telecom operators, but also utility services to avoid such incidents.
Mrs. Lumor also raised concerns about the high and arbitrary business operational fees charged by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) indicating that sometimes the number of its vehicles painted in its logo were counted and charged by the assemblies.
Another challenge she mentioned was scam messages from apparent swindlers, who send text messages to extort monies from customers under the pretext of offering them cash awards they allegedly won from the Company.
Mrs Lumor urged customers to be vigilant and inquire from MTN offices upon receipts of such messages to avoid being duped.
On its corporate social responsibility, she enumerated a number of activities carried out by the MTN Foundation primarily on education and health for greater percentage of the country’s population. She said the Foundation had supported Ghanaians to access education and also improve the health status of the people for increased productivity.
She said a total amount of GH¢56 million had been spent on projects throughout the country on education and health. A whooping GH¢40 million went to education alone.
The Foundation had now sprouted its tentacles to providing ICT centres each in all the 10 regional capitals to help boost accessibility to Internet and other ICT facilities in the country.
The current focus of the Foundation is on economic empowerment and therefore skills training had started in earnest in some communities in the country to help people to have a sustainable livelihood.
Mrs. Lumor said MTN hoped to increase its penetration rate, which now stands at 5.2 per cent in the country for more people to gain access to the internet.
Source: GNA