The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Digitisation, has announced a significant expansion of telephony infrastructure in rural areas.
Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, speaking at a forum by the National Communication Authority (NCA) under the theme ‘Safeguarding consumer rights through effective communication’, revealed plans to add 1006 new sites by the end of 2024.
The project, she stated, aims to promote digital inclusion and bridge the digital divide, ushering in a new era of connectivity for rural communities and integrating them into the information age.
Additionally, the minister, Owusu-Ekuful, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project, with the government providing infrastructure and network operators delivering services.
“One of the key initiatives we are currently rolling out is the Rural Telephony Project. And I am proud to say that as of February 2024, the number of rural telephony sites, aimed at promoting digital inclusion and reducing the digital gap, has increased from 78 at the end of 2016 to almost 1500 currently. Work is underway to build an additional 1006 sites by the end of this year, bringing a total to almost 2500.
“This will connect almost 2 million citizens who currently do not have access to voice and data services and bring them into the information age. What is exciting about this network is that the government is providing the infrastructure while the network operators are utilising it to provide services, the finest example of private-public corporation and shared digital infrastructure,” she stated.
Additionally, the minister noted that the government is currently in talks with neighbouring countries to implement a West Africa Roaming Policy to allow for cheap call connection among citizens in these areas.
She added that the policy is ready to be implemented in Togo by July 1, 2024.
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