BY DANIEL BAMPOE
A growing political and traditional dispute over the construction of a telecommunications mast at the Koforidua-Kumasi Lorry Station has taken a dramatic turn, with the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Constituency in the Eastern Region, Michael Okyere Baafi, accusing Communications Minister Sam George of taking a bribe from telecommunications interests to push through the project.
The allegation, which has further heightened tensions in Koforidua, follows a bitter disagreement between the New Juaben South MP, sections of the trading and transport community, traditional authorities and government officials over the location of the mast.
Okyere Baafi has strongly rejected a claim by the Communications Minister that he personally requested the construction of the mast at the lorry station in a letter to Parliament in 2022.
Speaking on Afeema FM in Koforidua, the MP dismissed the claim as false, alleging that the minister’s decision to proceed with the project despite objections from the community and traditional authorities was motivated by a financial inducement.
“Sam George has taken a bribe,” the MP alleged, daring the minister to prove otherwise through legal action.
The 2022 Letter Dispute
Sam George, during a recent visit to Koforidua, claimed the MP had previously called for a telecommunications mast to address poor network connectivity.
But Okyere Baafi has offered a different explanation. According to him, the 2022 request was made after then Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful asked Members of Parliament to identify communities within their constituencies that were experiencing poor or no network connectivity.
He said he complied with that request and submitted information on areas where residents were facing network difficulties.
The MP, however, maintained that the submission did not amount to authorising government or a telecommunications company to erect a mast at the Koforidua-Kumasi Lorry Station.
He said the location now being used for the project was never what he intended and insisted that he would not support a project that, in his view, could expose traders and residents at the busy terminal to health and safety concerns.
Okyere Baafi also stressed that his position was not based on a personal decision but followed consultations with chiefs, residents and other stakeholders.
A Political Fight Over A Mast
The dispute has gradually moved beyond a technical discussion about telecommunications infrastructure and developed into a political confrontation involving the New Juaben South MP, the Communication Ministry, the Municipal Assembly, the Eastern Regional Coordinating authorities and traditional leadership.
The New Juaben South Municipal Chief Executive, Ransford Owusu Boakye, has defended the project, saying the mast is among towers being constructed in the Eastern Region to address connectivity challenges.
According to him, the project is expected not only to improve internet speeds and mobile network coverage but also to support digital services and aspects of the country’s security and surveillance architecture.
Sam George’s Defence
Sam George has also rejected the concerns surrounding the mast and has attempted to counter what he describes as misinformation about telecommunications towers.
During his visit to Koforidua, the minister reportedly explained that the mast being constructed at the lorry station would be approximately 36 metres high and would be built according to applicable safety standards.
In a lighter remark, he suggested that only a “witch” would be able to crash into a structure at such a height.
We Are Not Against the Mast
The New Juaben South branch of the opposition New Patriotic Party has also entered the controversy, insisting that the dispute should not be portrayed as opposition to improved telecommunications services.
At a press conference held at the project site, party representatives reportedly said their objection was specifically to the location of the mast rather than the broader policy of improving network coverage.
The party accused Sam George of attempting to shift attention away from what it described as the inappropriate siting of the structure.
Chiefs And Traders Join Opposition
The controversy has also attracted strong opposition from sections of the New Juaben traditional authority and members of the business community operating around the lorry station.
Some traders and residents have expressed concerns about the possible health and safety implications of placing the mast in such a heavily populated area.
Those concerns have persisted despite assurances from telecommunications authorities that the structure would comply with safety standards.
The opposition became more significant after the New Juaben Omanhene, Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III, intervened and directed that construction be halted.
The Omanhene subsequently summoned key officials and representatives connected to the project, including Communications Minister Sam George, Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, the New Juaben South Municipal Chief Executive Ransford Owusu Boakye and African Towers for further discussions.
Former NDC Chairman Raises Concerns
Interestingly, opposition to the project has not been limited to the NPP. Former Eastern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Bismark Tawiah, has also reportedly called for the concerns raised by chiefs and residents to be taken seriously.
His intervention suggests that the disagreement cannot simply be dismissed as a partisan political campaign against the governing administration.
GPRTU Backs The Project
While opposition has grown, supporters of the project argue that the decision to locate the mast at the lorry station followed technical assessments rather than political considerations.
Muniru Alhassan of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union reportedly said consultations had been ongoing for more than seven months.
According to him, technical teams and engineers assessed possible locations for the mast before the Koforidua-Kumasi Lorry Station was selected because it offered the strongest signal conditions.
