Ghana’s digital economy is at risk as damage to submarine cables continues to rise, threatening over 95 per cent of the country’s international communications.
Industrial fishing activities, including trawling and anchoring, have been identified as major causes of submarine cable faults, accounting for nearly 75 per cent of incidents, with the remaining 25 per cent attributed to natural causes.
At an event to mark Submarine Cable Awareness Week last Friday, stakeholders called for the urgent enforcement of policies to protect critical submarine cable infrastructure and avert communication disruptions both locally and across the African region.
Organised by the Association of Submarine Cable Operators of Ghana (ASGOC), the event coincided with the two-year anniversary of the submarine cable disruptions that occurred along the West African coast on March 14, 2024, which affected internet services, mobile networks, banking operations and mobile money transactions, among others.
The Chairman of ASGOC and Country Manager for MainOne, a submarine cable operator, Mr Emmanuel Kwarteng, said Ghana currently serves as a major landing hub for submarine cable systems in West Africa, supporting not only domestic connectivity but also providing critical links to neighbouring and landlocked countries.
“Ghana hosts six submarine cables, including SAT-3, WACS, MainOne, Glo-1, ACE and the incoming 2Africa cable. Over 95 per cent of Ghana’s international communications travel through submarine cables, so when these cables are disrupted, the nation feels it,” he said.
Mr Kwarteng indicated that the country could spend up to $3 million to repair a single damaged submarine cable due to the need for specialised vessels, which are not readily available and often have to be mobilised from abroad.
He thus urged the government to enforce the Fisheries Act, 2002, which, among others, restricts trawling in certain coastal areas, and proposed the expansion of cable protection zones from the current 50 metres to 250 metres on either side of submarine cables, particularly along the coastline.
Mr Kwarteng also called for mandatory use of active Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on all vessels to ensure tracking and accountability, enforcement of updated nautical charts that clearly indicate cable routes, and the introduction of compensation schemes to encourage fishermen to abandon gear that becomes entangled in cables.
The Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Mr Samuel Nartey George, noted that the March 14 incident was a reminder that submarine cables were not merely technical infrastructure but critical national assets that support communications, financial systems, government operations and the broader digital economy.
He said Ghana’s position as a key submarine cable landing hub in the West African sub-region required a strong sense of responsibility to ensure the protection and resilience of such infrastructure.
“Government remains committed to working closely with the National Communications Authority and all relevant stakeholders to strengthen coordination, regulatory oversight and response mechanisms for submarine cable protection,” the Minister assured.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH