FIBRE INTERCONNECTIVITY PROJECT COMMISSIONED

FIBRE INTERCONNECTIVITY PROJECT COMMISSIONED November 1, 2011

BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL

A Deputy Minister of Communication, Honourable Ernest Attuquaye Armah has cut sod in Bolgatanga for the commencement of an interconnectivity fibre cable project that will be laid from Bolgatanga in the Upper East region to Sankase in the Northern part of the Republic of Togo. This follows a ministerial declaration in May 2009 between Ghana’s communications minister, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu and his Burkina Faso counterpart, Honourable Noel Kabore on the need for these countries to interconnect to enhance telephony and interconnectivity in the subregion.

Hon. Attuquaye Armah recalled that the declaration in Tamale was informed by the importance of sound interstate connectivity to promote subregional development, the need to provide an optimised broadband infrastructure between countries and that, the interconnection of telecommunication networks will open up enormous business opportunities for Togo, Burkina Faso and Ghana.

He said government’s commitment to ensure that every part of the country is given its fair share of development with ICT at the background, has secured the needed funds by collaborating with Vodafone Wholesale to lay 120 kilometres of fibre cable from Bolgatanga through Bawku and Zebila to Sankase in Northern Togo. The project also includes the establishment of cell sites along the route to ensure improved telecommunication services within the communities.

The Deputy Communications Minister noted that the three contractors in charge of the project will be digging trenches which may pass under houses but assured that, this will be done with minimum disturbances. He urged the chiefs and their people along the fibre cable route to give the contractors the necessary support and cooperation for the project to complete within schedule. Burkina Faso and Togo have already been connected under the same project.

The Managing Director of Vodafone Wholesale, Mr. Edwin Provencal whose speech was read by Mr. Kenneth Asare, emphasised that Vodafone is passionate about making meaningful contributions to the development of Ghana such as improving communication between Ghana and other countries to facilitate trade and commerce. To this end, Vodafone has so far spent over 40 million Ghana Cedis on the national backbone network which is currently operational in the northern ring, southern and middle rings delivering up to 99.9 per cent availability.

Mr. Provencal said Vodafone is the only telecommunications service provider that has partnered government to connect deprived areas to the information superhighway noting that such partnership will turn the country’s fortunes around and create opportunities for growth.

The Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo chaired the function which was also attended by the chiefs and people of the region and Mr. Mohammed Orchid, a representative of partners of the project from Burkina Faso.

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