The Paramount Chief of Sing, Naa Yab Sing-Lana COP Alhaji Iddi Lansah Seidu, has appealed to the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and its implementing agencies to urgently intervene to address the long-standing lack of telecommunication services in overseas communities within the Singa Traditional Area of the Kumbungu District.
For several years, residents of at least six communities—Magni, Tolgu, Gbali, Duuni, Kuldaani, and Sinꜧ township have struggled to access reliable mobile network services, worsening their already difficult living conditions. Residents say improved connectivity would enhance education, healthcare delivery, economic activities, and overall security, and are hopeful that government and its partners will respond swiftly to their call.
In Singa township itself, residents are often forced to gather under at specific locations in search of a weak and unstable network signal.
The Assembly Member for Singa Electoral Area Mr Mohammed Suale told Zaa News that the issue has been repeatedly brought to the attention of key stakeholders responsible for rural telephony, including the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), the Northern Regional Office of the National Communications Authority (NCA), and telecom operators such as MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo, all under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.
He noted that the affected communities were expected to benefit from the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project (GRT&DIP), a government initiative led by the Ministry and implemented by GIFEC.
The project is aimed at bridging the digital divide by constructing solar-powered cell sites, extending fibre backhaul, and promoting digital literacy to ensure affordable voice and data services in unserved rural areas. The project’s objectives include the construction of shared rural cell sites to support all mobile network operators through domestic roaming, expansion of broadband services to remote areas, and enabling rural populations to participate in the digital economy.
It also seeks to unlock opportunities in education, business, and social development. However, for the people of Singa, these objectives remain largely unrealized.
Residents say the nearest GIFEC-supported cell site serves only about a five-mile radius and frequently breaks down, leaving large sections of the traditional area without any connectivity.
Speaking to Zaa News at his palace, Paramount Chief of SinꜧCOP Alhaji Idid Lansah Seidu expressed frustration over the situation, describing poor network access as a major obstacle to development, security, and emergency communication.
Naa Yab Sing-Lana COP Alhaji Iddi Lansah Seidu: “Since I became chief, I have engaged all the relevant stakeholders, including the American Tower Company (ATC), GIFEC, and telecom operators, but so far, we have not received a positive response. Our people deserve to be connected.”
He appealed to GIFEC and the American Tower Company (ATC) to priorities the construction of a telecom tower in Sing to serve the surrounding overseas communities, stressing that access to communication is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
