Residents of Sefwi Ashiam, a farming community in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region, have taken to the streets to protest against authorities over persistent poor telecommunication network services in the area.
The peaceful protest, which drew scores of community members, was aimed at drawing the attention of the government and major telecom service providers to the dire communication challenges affecting daily life and development in the area.
According to the residents, the lack of stable mobile network coverage has negatively impacted access to emergency services, disrupted mobile money transactions, and slowed down business operations that depend on internet and voice connectivity.
“This is not just about social media or chatting. Our health and our lives are at risk. When someone falls sick at night, you can’t even call an ambulance. It’s heartbreaking,” a visibly frustrated resident told reporters during the protest.
Another protester lamented, “We have been neglected for far too long. Our children can’t access online learning platforms, and traders are losing customers because we cannot communicate or run mobile money effectively.”
The residents are therefore calling on the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, and telecom providers—especially MTN Ghana—to swiftly intervene by improving network infrastructure in the community.
Local leaders and opinion figures have backed the protest, emphasizing that improved connectivity is essential for education, health, business, and security in Sehwi Ashiam.