Claim: GH¢100 million has been allocated for rural telephony
Source: Rashid Tanko-Computer (GIFEC CEO)
Verdict: Understated
Researched by Gifty Danso
On July 29, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Electronic Fund for Communications (GIFEC), Tanko Rashid-Computer, claimed the government has allocated GH¢100 million to fund rural telephony projects this year.
Speaking on the Good Morning Ghana programme he said, “Until recently, (the) government has been coming in through the rural telephony thing. You know the former administration signed a loan agreement with CNTIC, that’s the Chinese Exim Bank, built about 2,016 rural telephony sites. That was a laudable idea. Unfortunately, because of the DDEP… it affected the release of the money. So they had to rely on Parliament to see how they could continue the process…
“Because of that, Government has started funding that aspect of rural telephony. So this year alone, his Excellency the President (you know he’s a former Communications Minister), he understood this thing very well…and so he has made the Finance Ministry through budgetary allocation, (dedicated) GH¢100 million for rural telephony alone. That tells you how much importance he attaches to this,” he said (between 30 minutes: 59 seconds to 32 minutes: 52 seconds of the show).
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This fact-check will verify the claim on allocation to rural telephony.
Fact-Check
In November 2020, then-Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful announced that GIFEC, in partnership with Huawei and the China National Technical Import and Export Corporation (CNTIC), was launching the ‘Rural Telephony Project’, which would see the construction of 2,016 cell sites in underserved communities across the country.
This project was undertaken with a loan facility from the China Exim Bank, and by 2024, only 1,010 of the planned sites had been constructed.
“As at February 2024, 1,010 of the planned sites have been successfully constructed, with 618 of them already operational, offering essential Voice and Data services to citizens in about 1,620 rural communities who can now make calls and use data services, thereby enhancing social and economic activities in these communities.
“The Ministry will build the remaining 1,006 sites, integrate, and activate them all for voice and data services to ensure reliable, affordable, and secure broadband infrastructure this year,” Ursula Owusu said at a press briefing in 2024.
In March 2025, days after the 2025 national budget was presented, the current sector minister, Samuel Nartey George, told Parliament that GH¢147 million had been allocated this year to complete 539 rural telephony sites.
“Between 2022 and 2025, Mr Speaker, 1,477 towers were completed with 1,010 under Phase 1A and 467 under Phase 1B. This year, the Ministry has made an allocation of GH¢147 million for us to complete the outstanding 539 rural telephony sites,” he said.
This information was captured in the Parliamentary Hansard of March 24, 2025.
Therefore, contrary to the GIFEC CEO’s claim, GH¢147 million was allocated for the rural telephony project this year.
Verdict
The claim is rated an understatement of the facts.
