Logba Klikpo Residents Climb Trees to Find Network as Unfinished Mast Leaves Community in Digital Darkness

Life in Logba Klikpo, a rural farming community nestled in the mountains of the Afadzato South District in the Volta Region, has been brought to a near standstill by a crippling lack of telecommunications connectivity. For residents there, making a simple phone call is a rare luxury — something that requires either trekking outside the community or, in some cases, climbing trees in search of a signal.

Farmers Losing Business Over Poor Network

The community's economy depends largely on agriculture, and traders rely on mobile phones to coordinate the sale of farm produce. Without reliable connectivity, residents say they are steadily losing customers and business opportunities. Kofi Odikro, a resident, described the frustration: "We keep losing our customers — the traders we sell our farm produce to — because of these network issues. Our phones are of no use to us here in the community since we can't make or receive calls."

The problem is not limited to residents alone. Visitors passing through the area have also been caught off guard by the near-total absence of mobile coverage. Kofi Adzololo, who travelled to Klikpo for a programme, said he was unable to reach family members in a nearby community, describing conditions in the town as "a terrible situation."

Unfinished Mast Raises, Then Dashes, Hopes

A telecommunications mast erected in the north-eastern part of the community had given residents hope of improved connectivity, but work on the facility has stalled. Installations were begun but never completed, leaving the structure standing idle. Resident Edem Sase appealed to the government to intervene: "We are hoping for the best — we just want them to come and connect it."

Paramount Chief Compares Situation to Stone Age

The Paramount Chief of Logba, Togbega Dabrah VI, has expressed deep concern over the prolonged crisis, saying it has severely hampered the economic and social development of the entire Logba enclave. He noted that residents are effectively cut off from the rest of the country, unable to access news, communicate with loved ones, or conduct business remotely. "These days we are in a digital era, and if you have your mobile phone you have the whole world at your fingertips. But if you don't have a connection, how do you do business with somebody in Accra?" he asked. The chief described their plight as reminiscent of the Stone Age, when people had to physically travel just to pass on a message.

Residents remain hopeful that authorities — both in government and the telecommunications sector — will move swiftly to complete the mast and restore proper connectivity to the community.