Vodafone Ghana has bemoaned an increase in cable theft on its operations, which has caused the company to lose 1.5 million cedis in 2015.
As a result of this, the company has announced a tightening of security around its underground cables to avert further disruptions to its operations.
Speaking to Citi Business News in an interview, the Corporate Communications Manager of Vodafone, Mr. Ebenezer Amankwa explained that the activities of cable thieves have caused irreparable damage to sensitive facilities and rendered customers handicapped in their businesses.
“For us our customers are our key stakeholders and we are serious about giving them the best of service to make them comfortable. Cable theft is a huge disincentive to us since it takes away the required services that must be delivered”, he said.
Mr. Amankwa disclosed that Vodafone has received many distress calls in recent times from clients who manage sensitive facilities due to disruption of services, as a result of cable theft.
“It affects all of us, hospitals, schools and security installations have been disrupted due to the activities of these thieves. Their actions are a setback to national development”, he said.
He stated that fixing a damaged cable brings a lot of inconveniences to customers due to the duration it takes to finish repair works..
“Working on cable disruptions can take over fourteen days to complete. This is time and money that can be used to add value to business operations to move our services forward”, he said.
On his part, the Head of Corporate Security at Vodafone Ghana, Mr. Eric Kwame Tettey stated that, the company has beefed up its security to help apprehend the culprits.
“We have partnered with the police and other security agencies to make it difficult for these thieves. They normally operate in the night and when it’s raining, making it difficult for the public to see them”, he said.
As part of the move targeted at identifying certified workers of Vodafone, Mr. Tettey explained that Vodafone field engineers do not work beyond 6 pm and on Sundays.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
