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Story by, Paul Mensah Nsor
The Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, urged contractors, community leaders and regulatory authorities to cooperate in protecting critical telecommunications infrastructure and speeding rollout of new sites to improve service quality.
Speaking at the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2026, Rev. Fianko highlighted how the installation of a single tower can connect hundreds of people to telephony and internet services, and stressed that the resilience of those services depends on shared responsibility between network operators, contractors and communities.
“Whenever a site goes down—because of power failure or theft of batteries—the services deteriorate,” Rev. Fianko said, noting that most sites rely on generator sets and battery banks as standby power and are linked by fiber-optic cables. He warned that construction activity frequently severs fiber cables, disconnecting multiple sites and degrading service for large numbers of users.
Rev. Fianko urged contractors to notify network operators ahead of construction projects so operators can locate and, where necessary, relocate cables to prevent accidental cuts. “If you don’t know where to find them, reach out to the NCA,” he said, adding that advance coordination would prevent unnecessary outages during roadwork and building construction.
He also appealed for greater vigilance against vandalism. “People are stealing batteries… the moment you do that and the power goes off, the site will not hold up,” he said, urging communities and local authorities to help secure infrastructure.
Rev. Fianko outlined plans to expand coverage by deploying new sites in underserved and peripheral areas but said the rollout is being slowed by challenges in securing permits. While Civil Aviation has not been a major obstacle, obtaining Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local assembly approvals has proved difficult, he said. Community resistance—often grounded in fears about health impacts—has also delayed installations.
Addressing safety concerns, Rev. Fianko dismissed claims that radio signals from base stations cause cancer. Citing measurements by Ghana’s Radiation Protection Institute, he said radio-frequency levels are far below safety thresholds and that radio waves primarily produce heat—an effect carefully regulated to remain within safe limits. “There is no evidence that they do cause cancer,” he said, and added that being closer to a tower actually reduces the power a device needs to transmit, which can be healthier for users.
To address public safety concerns about tower structures, the NCA conducts annual inspections of sites and issues observations for corrective action. Rev. Fianko said these inspections help ensure towers do not pose structural risks to communities.
Rev. Fianko’s remarks come as the government pushes for wider digital access and infrastructure expansion. He emphasized that delays in permitting and community opposition not only slow improvements in service quality but also hamper efforts to bring reliable connectivity to underserved areas.
The NCA is calling on assemblies, the EPA, contractors and community stakeholders to streamline approvals and cooperate with network operators to protect underground fiber and above-ground equipment, ensuring uninterrupted service and accelerating the country’s connectivity goals.
