Residents of Ankaako, a community in the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira District of the Central Region, say they are being forced to climb coconut trees just to make phone calls or access mobile data due to a persistent network outage.
According to locals, getting a reliable signal on the ground has become nearly impossible, leaving them with no option but to scale trees in search of connectivity. Even that workaround offers no guarantee, as the situation worsens during rainfall or power cuts, when the network disappears entirely — sometimes even from the treetops.
The impact is already being felt across the community’s economy.
Residents say a group of contractors who visited the area to explore a potential project abandoned their plans after struggling with the poor network.
Mobile money operators have also been hit hard.
Many say they have been forced to shut down their businesses because they cannot complete transactions without a stable connection.
Some previously climbed coconut trees to process payments, but describe the practice as dangerous and increasingly unreliable.
Frustrated by the situation, residents are calling on the government, non-governmental organisations, the District Chief Executive, and their Member of Parliament to step in and address the crisis.
They stress that access to a stable network is no longer optional, but essential for education, business, healthcare delivery, and emergency response.
Assemblyman for the Gyankobo/Ankaako Electoral Area, Hon. Shadrack Nimo Johnson, has also confirmed the situation.
He says he has repeatedly raised the issue with the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira District Assembly, but so far, no action has been taken.