Life is unfair and difficult for Residents of the Nungu community in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region where the community is in the cover of the dark age without the realities of the 21st century with its technological evolution cannot access a single Telecommunication Network since the advancement and expansion of mobile network.
Telecommunication is the engine of modern growth in all areas of the economy through information communication technology, internet connectivity, online services, and voice wave technology and all these drives the economy and plays a significant role in the lives of every human being irrespective of race, religious and topographical locations.
Since living in the community for more than five decades, residents of Nungu are yet to have access to Telecommunication Network just like any other person living in a centralized and well established community regardless of the location due to the vast extension of the mobile cells sites by Telecommunication companies.
To have access to any Telecommunication Network signals, residents must climb trees and high places in order to make calls which are not even at full signal but manageable enough to reach out to the receiver at the other side of the call.
This situation is making friends, family and loved ones to reach out to residents of the Nungu community unless residents initiate the call process by standing at a particular place in the area or climbing on higher structures.
The community is located in a deep valley between the Gambaga escarpment and the Tongo hills and closer to the white Volta.
These situations are adversely affecting their local economy, health, Education and life in general.
Government workers are refusing postings to the community due to lack of social amenities especially access to Telecommunication Network and Internet data services which makes life in this 21st century complete.
The community is well known in the production of charcoal and fire wood in large quantities and suppliers from many places far and near relied on them for their domestic house fuel. Customers who want to do business and make payments with residents can not do so due to the unavailability of mobile network services and this is affecting the local economy of the Talensi District.
To worsen the plight of residents of Nungu, the community is not connected to the national grid and residents travel far distance to other communities to charge their phones and lamps.
An attempt was made to connect the community to the national grid through the rural electrification program was in 2012 where poles and transformers were erected and installed respectively without the electricity cables. Most of the poles that were not erected, have been damaged through harsh conditions and human activities.
The community is in total darkness at night posing security threat and an avenue for crimalal activities including armed robbery.
The Assembly man for Datoku Electoral Area, Ayariga Mohammoud said the situation in the community is unfortunate and this shouldn’t happen in this 21st century where without Internet services and call services, life is meaningless.
Mr. Ayariga Mohammoud expressed his dissatisfaction on the numerous failures by authorities responsible for ensuring residents also feel like been part of the global village with access to modern technology and transformation.
Reacting to the concerns of the Nungu Community, the District Chief Executive of Talensi, Millim Naabwomya shared their frustrations and what residents are facing on electricity and Telecommunication but assured them of the Assembly’s readiness in addressing these issues.
“These concerns has come to our notice and is part of development plans of the Assembly because Nungu is a commercial community and these facilities must be available to increase productivity. On electricity, soon a contractor will commence work to connect the community to the national grid after a review and evaluation of the past contract” he disclosed.
“On the Telecommunication Network, this is something that is affecting everyone who visits the community and the Assembly is working tirelessly with the various Telecommunication companies to extend their cell sites to the area and also strengthen the network coverage in the district” he added.
The teaching of information Communication Technology, ICT in the various schools in the community is challenging as well as health delivery where nurses find it difficult to communicate with secondary facilities for referrals and emergencies. Deliveries at the CHPS Compound especially at night is very challenging due to lack of electricity though the CHPS Compound is connected with Solar power but is not reliable.
Few households in the community have access to Solar with low power watts to power gadgets with high voltage and this denies residents from entertainment and access to information through the media.
Until Telecommunication and electricity services are available in Nungu community, residents will continue to live in the dark age without being part of the 21st Century.
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