The persistent destruction of fibre-optic cables across Ghana has cost telecommunication companies an estimated US$69.3 million in repairs over the past five years, raising fresh concerns over the stability of the country’s digital infrastructure.
Data available to The Chronicle indicates that between 2021 and 2025, telecom operators recorded a total of 33,878 fibre cuts nationwide, disrupting internet services, mobile money operations, banking transactions and other critical digital services.
Industry players warn that the growing menace is undermining telecommunications stability and threatening Ghana’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Investigations by The Chronicle suggest that many of the fibre-optic cables are damaged during excavation works by road contractors and private developers undertaking construction projects without proper coordination with telecom operators.
Recent incidents along the Nungua-Tema road highlighted the scale of the problem after two individuals were arrested for allegedly destroying fibre infrastructure in the area.The figures show that telecom operators recorded 3,900 fibre cuts in 2021 at a repair cost of US$7.5 million.
The situation worsened sharply in 2022 when more than 10,334 fibre cables were reportedly destroyed or stolen, pushing repair costs to US$17.4 million. Although the figures declined slightly in 2023, telecom companies still recorded 6,344 fibre cuts, costing approximately US$6.4 million in repairs.
The crisis intensified again in 2024 and 2025. In 2024, operators experienced about 5,600 fibre cuts with repair expenses estimated at US$18 million, while 2025 recorded 8,000 cuts costing nearly US$20 million.
Industry estimates indicate that fibre cuts occur between 11 and 99 times daily, with each repair costing between US$1,923 and US$3,214. Investigations further indicate that Telecel Ghana remains the most affected telecommunications company because of the extensive underground fibre network inherited from the former Ghana Telecom infrastructure.
Other operators, including MTN Ghana and AT Ghana, are also heavily affected by the recurring destruction of fibre infrastructure.In response to the growing crisis, the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications is preparing legal action against contractors whose activities result in fibre cuts.
The Chamber is also backing proposed amendments to existing laws to impose stricter sanctions on offenders. Under the proposed amendment, individuals or companies responsible for damaging fibre infrastructure could face criminal prosecution if they fail to pay fines, with the minimum penalty pegged at 10,000 penalty units.
Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, described the increasing destruction of fibre-optic cables as a major financial burden on telecom operators and a threat to service quality nationwide.
According to her, the consequences of fibre cuts extend beyond the direct financial losses suffered by telecommunications companies, as service disruptions often affect businesses, emergency services, banking operations and millions of subscribers who rely on stable network connectivity daily.
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