Desist from destroying telecommunications infrastructure – Ursula to road contractors

National Engineering Coordinating Team to look into the destruction of optic fibres

Perpetrators will be made to face the full rigours of the law

Ursula urges the NCA to work with mobile network operators to achieve its goals

Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has issued a stern warning to road contractors and other stakeholders to desist from destroying telecommunications infrastructure on roads.

She added that culprits will be prosecuted and dealt with legally.

“Let me sound a note of caution to road contractors, other utilities and stakeholders that work in the road corridor that telecommunication infrastructure has been designated as critical information infrastructure. It is a crime to destroy telecommunication infrastructure and this includes optic fibre cables”, she said.

Speaking at the launch of the 10th year anniversary of the Chamber of Telecommunications, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said the perpetrators will be made to bear the cost of restoring the infrastructure to its original state.

“I have not been too happy with the work of the coordinating committee. So I hope that this CI designation gives an impetus to your work. We will enforce the law to the latter and any road contractor or person who destroys fibre optic cables will face the full rigours of the law and bear the cost of restoring this infrastructure to its original state”, she added.

The minister disclosed that a team has been set up to carefully look into issues concerning the disruption of optic fibre cables in the country.

“The National Engineering Coordinating Team, an entity that is chaired by the Chamber to ensure that we can bring some sanity into the management of the road reservation has also been established. This team is to ensure that the rampant destruction of optic fibre cables is minimised if not eradicated once and for all.”

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful also urged all communities to work with the government and the network operators to protect cell sites from theft and vandalism, adding, “we all have a collective responsibility to protect telecommunication infrastructure.”

During the inauguration of the board of the National Communications Authority (NCA), she reiterated the fact that the digital transformation agenda of government resides on Information, Communications and Technology; telecommunications and the ability to manage the communication sector very well.

She thus urged the NCA to strategically position itself to facilitate the achievement of its goals.

“The NCA can only accomplish this by working with mobile network operators and other regulatory entities. Let me also indicate that I charged the board to ensure that the governing legislation is implemented to the latter without fear or favor.

“I’ve received the work the chamber has done with the NCA and other regulators to revive the telecommunications tower guidelines. We are considering it and very soon we’ll work and make sure the necessary amendments are done”, she added. Read Full Story