Improving Internet Accessibility in Rural Communities: A Key to Development in Ghana

There is a yawning gap between the rate of Internet adoption in rural and urban Ghana. While Internet adoption is growing steadily in Accra and other major cities, there is virtually no connection in most parts of rural Ghana. Considering the Internet's potential to radically impact education, health, agriculture and socio-economic development, it is imperative that stakeholders adopt and implement strategies to close the prevailing rural-urban digital divide. This write-up explores barriers to Internet access in rural Ghana, highlights some of the current interventions being implemented and draws correlations between Internet access and development in Ghana.

Background

Ghana became a West African Internet pioneer in 1995 when Network Computer Systems (NCS), led by the visionary Nii Narku Quaynor, set up a connection to the Internet backbone via an analogue leased line. Since then the number of local Internet users has risen from a mere 3000 to about 2.5 million (~10% penetration rate).

Consequently, the Internet “boom” has triggered entrepreneurial efforts in the high technology space as smart tech-savvy young business people are innovating around the platform for financial reward. Sadly, all the advances in the country's Internet sector seem to be concentrated in Accra and a few other urban centres, severely limiting the platform as an enabler of development and opportunity for ordinary people.