Vodafone bemoans rising cable theft
Vodafone Ghana has expressed concerns about the spate of theft of its cables, saying the practice is negatively affecting its operation. According to the company, it spends GH¢1.5 million on the replacement of stolen and damaged cables every year.
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At a media interaction as part of activities to mark the company’s cable awareness campaign, the Corporate Communications Manager at Vodafone Ghana, Mr Ebenezer Amankwa, said the company recorded 183 incidents of cable theft between April 2015 and February 2016.
Mr Amankwa stated that 25 persons were arrested for stealing Vodafone’s cables, out of which five had been convicted while the rest were awaiting trial.
Collaboration
Mr Amankwa said the company was collaborating with the Ghana Police Service and the Judicial Services in the fight against cable theft.
As a result, he said a dedicated court (known as the cable court) had been set up in Accra and Kumasi to solely prosecute cable thieves.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, he said, had also given Vodafone Ghana the administrative authority to intercept copper that is being exported from the country as scrap.
Additionally, he said the company was gradually deploring fibre optics systems to systematically phase out the use of copper cables.
Effects
Perpetrators of the menace usually dig up underground cables and cut them, after which it is burnt to expose the copper components.
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The copper is then sold to scrap dealers who either resell it locally or export it to neighbouring countries.
Cable theft, according to Mr Amankwa, affects not only the quality of the company’s network but also all aspects of life, including access to emergency and security services and health care.
He explained that because the cable thieves cut the network cables, financial and banking services and internet access for business and educational institutions are disrupted.
According to the company, it takes about a fortnight to replace stolen and damaged cables.
Whistleblowers
The Director of External Affairs at Vodafone, Mr Gayheart Mensah, said “this is now beyond an industry challenge; it is now a challenge for all stakeholders.”
He, therefore, urged the public to blow the whistle on cable theft as part of efforts to address the widespread vandalism and theft of communication cables in the country.
To get more people to voluntarily report suspected cable thieves, the company has announced the institution of a reward scheme for whistle blowers.
Mr Mensah, therefore, urged members of communities close to areas demarcated for service lines to be vigilant and report suspected thieves.
For his part, the Head of Corporate Security at Vodafone Ghana, Mr Eric Kwame Tettey, said the company would pay GH¢1,000 to anyone who would offer information that would lead to the successful prosecution of a perpetrator.