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Ghana Telecommunications
Despite improvements carried out in the 1980s under the
auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),
Ghana's telecommunications system continues to be one of the least
developed in Africa. In 1994 the country counted about 50,000
telephones, or approximately 2.6 telephones per 1,000 people, one
of the world's lowest figures. Telephone service is heavily
concentrated in Accra, and even in the capital, only government
offices, large commercial concerns, or wealthier households have
telephone service. Domestic long-distance communications are
carried over two radio-relay systems, one that extends east-west
through the major coastal cities, and another that goes north from
the capital to Burkina. International telecommunications, except to
neighboring countries, are sent via a satellite ground station near
Accra. This station, working with the International
Telecommunications Satellite Corporation's (Intelsat) Atlantic
Ocean Satellite, provides high-quality telephone, television, and
data links to countries in Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Broadcast service is typical of African countries. The country
has four amplitude modulation (AM) radio stations and one frequency
modulation (FM) radio station. Three shortwave transmitters provide
countrywide service: two for domestic reception that broadcast in
English and six local languages, and one international transmitter
that broadcasts in English, French, and Hausa. There are four
(eight translators) television stations. Television transmitters
are located at or near Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, and Bolgatanga;
eight low-power television repeaters are located in smaller cities.
In 1993 the country had an estimated 4 million radio receivers and
250,000 television sets.
In 1992 the Ghanaian government approved the formation of a
National Communications Commission. This organization undertakes
numerous missions, including the promotion of research and
development, improvement of communications, management of the radio
frequency spectrum, and encouragement of private ownership in the
telecommunications sector. Given Ghana's lack of resources and the
difficulty of acquiring foreign aid, it is unlikely that the
commission will make any significant improvements in the country's
telecommunications system in the near future.
Data as of November 1994
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