Ghana Highway Authority sounds alarm over fibre-optic cable damage

The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has called for stronger collaboration with telecommunications companies and other utility service providers to prevent damage to fibre-optic cables and essential underground infrastructure during road construction and rehabilitation works.

The Eastern Regional Highway Director, Mr. Emmanuel Okrang Klu, said inadequate communication and the failure of some utility providers to adequately coordinate their infrastructure installations with road development plans were creating challenges for contractors and threatening the uninterrupted delivery of essential services.

He called for a more coordinated approach involving the Authority, telecommunications operators, electricity distributors, water utility providers and road contractors to ensure that underground cables and other installations were identified and, where necessary, relocated before construction begins.

Speaking at the annual MTN media and stakeholders’ engagement in Koforidua on Monday, Mr. Okrang stressed that early notification of road projects would enable utility companies to make the necessary arrangements to protect their infrastructure and minimize disruptions to consumers.

“We have to give them prior information as to where we are going to work so that they will make provision to relocate or suspend the provision of services to the people,” he said.

Mr. Okrang explained that the Ghana Highway Authority had established road design standards that take utility services within road reservations into consideration.

However, he expressed concern that some service providers had installed cables and other infrastructure within these reservations, creating difficulties when road construction and rehabilitation work reached the affected areas.

He said the situation required improved planning and communication between the Authority and utility companies to prevent avoidable conflicts between road development and existing infrastructure.

According to him, the challenge was not limited to telecommunications cables, but also involved electricity and water installations occupying road reservations.He maintained that all service providers needed to understand the Authority’s road design requirements and ensure that their installations were properly planned to minimize interference with road projects.

The Eastern Regional Highway Director identified inadequate communication between senior officials and field supervisors as a major obstacle to effective coordination.

He explained that decisions taken at management level would achieve little if resident engineers and supervisors at construction sites failed to communicate developments promptly to their superiors and the relevant utility providers.

Mr Okrang said field engineers must provide timely information on construction schedules, project progress and the locations where utility infrastructure could be affected.Such information, he noted, would give service providers sufficient time to relocate cables and other installations before contractors reached the affected sections.

He argued that advance planning would reduce the risk of damage, limit service interruptions and prevent unnecessary delays to road construction projects.

Mr Okrang disclosed that the Ghana Highway Authority had supplied utility service providers with its road reservation manual to guide them on the standards and requirements governing road construction.

He expressed concern that some providers might not be sufficiently familiar with the manual, potentially contributing to the installation of infrastructure in locations that could subsequently be affected by construction activities.

This, he urged utility companies to familiarize themselves with the Authority’s requirements and incorporate them into their infrastructure planning.

The Director also pointed to rapid urbanization as an additional challenge, explaining that the availability of suitable space for utility installations was becoming increasingly limited in densely developed communities.He said the situation made cooperation between road authorities and utility providers even more important, particularly in urban areas where several services compete for limited space.

To address the problem, Mr Okrang called for accurate design drawings and improved mapping of underground infrastructure to help contractors identify existing installations before excavation begins.

He said the availability of reliable information on the locations of fibre-optic cables, electricity lines, water pipelines and other utility installations would enable road engineers to plan construction activities more effectively.He also advocated the use of appropriate equipment to detect underground infrastructure where necessary.

According to him, effective infrastructure mapping would reduce accidental damage, facilitate maintenance and help ensure the continuous provision of essential services to households and businesses.

He further called for advance notification of construction schedules and the different stages of road projects to become a routine requirement in engagements between the Authority and utility service providers.

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