Collaborate with assemblies to halt cable theft: Asokwa MCE charges MTN boss

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Asokwa, Akwannuasah Gyimah, has asked telecommunication service providers to collaborate with the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to help in their fight against cable theft and fibre cuts.

He said the assemblies were aware of the effects the activities of the fibre optic cable thieves were having on the operations of the telcos.

Collaboration

He said the telcos could get some support in tracking and tracing these unpatriotic citizens if they could work with the respective authorities at the district assemblies.

Mr Gyimah said that when the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana PLC, Selorm Adadevoh, paid a courtesy call on him at his office as part of activities marking this year’s Yello Care month of the company.

The assemblies, according to the MCE, had the entire mapping of the roads and all others in every district and could liaise with the telcos to carry out repair works when they were needed rather than the companies doing so on their own.

"I am fully aware of the difficulties you may be going through dealing with this challenge of cable theft and fibre cuts but for me and the ordinary customer, all we want is quality service and I believe we must work towards that since the assembly stands ready to support MTN in achieving seamless services", he said.

Stakeholder involvement

The Assembly member for Ahinsan Estate Electoral Area, Nana Yaw Wiredu, also asked MTN to involve opinion leaders whenever they were undertaking special projects or outdoor sensitisation drives.

That, he noted, would enable the leaders to mobilise the people and also become aware of what the company was doing and help deepen the communication with the public.

He said the ordinary person was unable to differentiate staff of the telcos from non-staff when such persons came around the companies’ cell sites.

He proposed that the company liaise with especially, assembly members and unit committee members so that they could help to monitor activities of these unscrupulous people and get them arrested.

CEO

Mr Adadevoh welcomed the suggestions from the MCE and noted that his officers would follow up on them with the various assemblies to deal with cable theft and fibre cuts.

He also expressed appreciation for the warm reception the Asokwa Municipal Assembly had accorded him and the company.

Mr Adadevoh promised to build on the relationship with the assembly so that both the company and the assembly could benefit from the same.

He further promised to support departments of the assembly whose actions and line of operations were in sync with MTN areas of Corporate

Social Responsibility viz Education, Health and Social Empowerment.

"I am very happy meeting with you at this assembly and I am hopeful that today would mark a fruitful relationship where both MTN and the assembly could build on and mutually benefit from same", Mr Adadevoh stated.