Galamsey causes 1 in 4 fibre cuts in Ghana – Sam George

He said the destruction of underground telecommunications infrastructure by illegal miners was increasingly threatening the reliability of Ghana’s communications network, particularly in areas where alternative fibre routes are limited.

Illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, is responsible for about one in every four fibre-optic cable cuts recorded across Ghana, Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George has disclosed.

The Minister explained that while road contractors generally report incidents where their activities damage fibre infrastructure, illegal miners often fail to notify telecommunications companies or relevant authorities after cutting cables during excavation.