Bunkrugu MP Demands Urgent Action Over Recurring MTN Network Outages

The Member of Parliament for Bunkrugu, Dr. Abednego Lamangin Bandim, has called on the National Communications Authority (NCA) to urgently intervene to restore reliable telecommunications services in Bunkrugu and surrounding communities in the North East Region.

The MP, who is also Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Information and Communications, expressed concern over recurring disruptions to telecommunications services in the constituency, particularly on the MTN network, saying prolonged outages are increasingly affecting essential services and the livelihoods of residents.

According to Dr. Bandim, the network had recently experienced disruptions and was reportedly interrupted again for a period in the morning, raising concerns about the frequency and duration of the outages.

He acknowledged that telecommunications companies could experience unforeseen technical challenges, including fibre cuts and other infrastructure-related faults, but insisted that such challenges should not leave consumers without timely information.

“While I recognise that telecommunications operators can experience unforeseen technical challenges, including fibre cuts and other infrastructure-related faults, such challenges cannot justify leaving consumers without timely information,” he said.

Dr. Bandim said one of his major concerns was the apparent lack of direct communication to affected consumers whenever network disruptions occurred.

“What concerns me most is that when these disruptions occur, affected consumers are often left to speculate about what has happened. There is little or no direct communication to explain the cause of the outage, the areas affected, the expected duration, or the steps being taken to restore service,” he stated.

He stressed that even where operators are unable to provide advance notice of an outage, they should still communicate with affected communities through alternative channels.

“The absence of advance notice cannot mean the absence of communication altogether,” Dr. Bandim said, adding that radio, television, social media and other public communication platforms could be used to keep consumers informed when network services are unavailable.

The Bunkrugu MP further warned that prolonged telecommunications outages could have serious consequences for healthcare, education, businesses, emergency response and public safety.

“A disruption lasting several hours is not merely an inconvenience,” he said. “In our hospitals, for instance, patients may be unable to communicate with relatives, relatives may be unable to reach healthcare facilities, and health professionals may face difficulties communicating with one another where such communication is necessary for the provision of healthcare.”

He said the impact on education could also be significant, particularly for students and researchers who depend on internet connectivity to access educational materials, conduct research and communicate with their institutions.

Dr. Bandim also cited the growing dependence of businesses, financial transactions, transportation, media operations and ordinary citizens on reliable telecommunications services, warning that the consequences could become more severe during emergencies.

“I therefore believe that consumers must be placed at the centre of the response to network disruptions,” he said.

“It is not sufficient for a telecommunications operator to communicate only with the relevant authorities while affected consumers remain uninformed. The people who pay for and depend on these services deserve to know when a significant disruption occurs, what has caused it, and what is being done to restore service.”

The MP specifically called on MTN Ghana to strengthen its communication protocols and ensure that consumers are promptly informed whenever major network outages occur.

He also urged the NCA to pay particular attention to the frequency and duration of telecommunications disruptions in northern Ghana and ensure that service providers meet their obligations to consumers.

Dr. Bandim further called on telecommunications operators to establish effective contingency communication arrangements that would enable them to communicate with affected communities through alternative platforms whenever their networks are unavailable.

“I will continue to monitor this situation and engage the relevant stakeholders to better understand the causes of these recurring disruptions and the measures being taken to prevent them,” he said.

“We cannot continue to accept a situation where communities are repeatedly disconnected from essential communication services and are then left without any meaningful explanation.”

Dr. Bandim maintained that reliable telecommunications services had become an essential part of modern life and should no longer be treated as a luxury.

“Reliable telecommunications services are no longer a luxury. They are an essential part of healthcare, education, commerce, emergency response and everyday life,” he said.

He therefore urged MTN Ghana and the relevant regulatory authorities to treat the recurring disruptions with urgency and ensure that consumers, particularly those in northern Ghana, receive reliable telecommunications services and timely information whenever outages occur.