Wawase Residents Appeals for Mobile Connectivity to Boost Education, Business, and Emergency Response
Residents of Wawase, a farming community near Dominase in the Bekwai Municipality, have issued a strong appeal to the government and telecommunication service providers to extend mobile network services to their area, describing the community’s lack of connectivity as a major barrier to development and a threat to lives.
During a press briefing, the Unit Committee Chairman, Mr. Osei Bonsu (Agyasei), expressed deep concern over the difficulties residents face in accessing telecommunication services. He revealed that due to the complete absence of network coverage, community members are often forced to climb trees, ascend nearby hills, or walk long distances before they can make or receive phone calls. “In this modern era, we should not be struggling for network by climbing trees or mountains. This lack of connectivity is affecting our education, our farming business, and even our safety as a community,” he said.
According to Mr. Bonsu, business activities in Wawase have been significantly hampered as farmers are unable to communicate with buyers, check market prices, or arrange transportation for their produce without traveling to Dominase. This, he noted, results in delays, losses, and reduced productivity. “Our farmers work hard, but without network access, they cannot compete fairly in today’s market system,” he added.
The residents also expressed grave fears regarding emergencies, stating that the lack of a telecommunication network puts lives at risk. In cases of sudden illness, childbirth complications, accidents, or security threats, community members have no means to call for immediate assistance. “If someone collapses or there is a danger in the night, we are on our own. We cannot call a hospital or the police. This is dangerous and frightening,” Mr. Bonsu stressed.
In education, the situation is equally troubling. The chief farmer of Wawase, Mr. John Ayaaba, explained that although the community has managed to construct a basic classroom block through communal effort, it remains inadequate. Children who advance to Junior High School must walk about nine miles to Dominase daily due to the absence of a local JHS. With no internet or mobile connectivity in Wawase, students have no access to digital learning tools, research materials, or virtual academic support.
Mr. Ayaaba also called for additional infrastructure, including teachers’ quarters and a CHPS compound, but emphasized that securing telecommunication access should be treated as a critical priority. “If we get network here, it will support education, improve communication, attract teachers, help health workers, and make our community safer,” he stated.
The residents maintained that mobile connectivity is no longer a luxury but a basic developmental need. They appealed to the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and major telecommunication providers to include Wawase in their next network expansion projects.
“We are simply asking to be connected so our children can learn better, our farmers can do business effectively, and our community can call for help in emergencies. Network connectivity will transform Wawase,” Mr. Bonsu concluded.
