Ghana fails to meet SDG internet target

By: Fred Yaw SARPONG
fsarpong@theeventpr.com

Ghana has failed to reach the 50%
internet penetration target set
by the United Nations, as part
of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) targets by 2017.
Currently, Ghana has an internet
penetration of 34% which is very low,
recording about 16% short in reaching the
target.
Mr. Kawku Agbesi, an industry player
and the Chief Sales Marketing Officer
for CSquared Ghana, a wholesale fibre
infrastructure company told the Daily
Express that in order to improve internet
penetration in the country, there are three
things stakeholders need to do.
He mentioned that the cost of internet
in Ghana is very expensive and it does
not make more people to hook into the
internet. Even though with a lot of smart
phones, many Ghanaians are afraid of
using their data because of the cost.
“First of all we need to try and reduce
the cost of providing the service to the
end user,” he stated.
He further stated that on the average,
the price of internet in Ghana is 50% or
60% more than they are in developed
countries. “So for me reducing these
prices will be the first step,” he added.
Mr. Agbesi pointed out that if the prices
are reduced, it makes it more affordable
for people to use the services. “Base on
statistics, in the UK or the US people will
use may be less than one percent
of their daily income to purchase
internet.”
In Ghana, because of the low
income circle many people are in, a
lot of people can’t afford the internet.
He called on government to provide
some legislation to help those who
cannot afford the internet in
order to be connected.
Many remote areas in
Ghana do not have access
to the internet or telecom
capacity. Statistics
shows that 80% of
the current internet
demand is within
the Accra, Kumasi
and Takoradi and
other cities.

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