The Government has released 11.2 billion cedis owed to the Ghana Telecom by the security agencies, and other ministries and departments.

Mr. Felix Owusu Agyepong, Minister of Communications and Technology disclosed this when addressing a durbar of Ghana Telecom workers at Takoradi on Friday to end his two-day inspection tour of telephone facilities in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.

He said the accumulated telephone bills by the Security Agencies, Ministries and Departments over the years is over 35 billion cedis.

Mr. Agyepong said Government is also making every effort to have the outstanding balance paid in due course.

He noted that the outlook for a comprehensive development of the nation's telecommunication infrastructure is very bright.

Mr. Agyepong said the frustrations of the past years are gradually being overcome, adding that Ghana Telecom would soon be resourced sufficiently to undertake the government's programme to extend telephone service to all towns with Senior Secondary Schools and Teacher Training Colleges.

To this end, he said, Government has concluded a management service agreement with Telenor of Norway to implement a Business Plan Telecom out of its critical situation.

Mr. Agyepong said under the Business Plan, it is estimated that staff of Ghana Telecom would increase from the present 3,900 to about 6,000 by the end of the plan period.

He said government has requested that within the first year, telephone service should be extended to the border towns to strengthen the fight against smuggling.

In this regard, Mr. Agyepong said, Enchi, Sefwi Wiawso, Juabeso, Asawinso, Dadieso, and Half Assini would be covered.

"Western Region is quite strategic in the nation's socio-economic development and the provision of modern telecommunication infrastructure is of paramount concern", he added.

He said his Ministry expects the staff of GT to rise up to the occasion and re-dedicate their efforts to building a first class Telecommunication system in Ghana.

The Minister gave the assurance that his Ministry would do all in its capacity to ensure that the Telecommunication sector contributes its expected quota to the nation's development.

In his welcoming address, Mr. Robert Baffour-Ewuah, Western Regional Head of Ghana Telecom appealed to the Government to assist the security agencies and other government agencies to settle their indebtedness to Ghana Telecom to enable it mobilize the needed revenue for the expansion of its network.

He said problems facing GT in the region include pay-phone vandalism, non-payment of telephone bills by customers and cable thefts, adding that cable theft in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis is very alarming.

Mr. Baffour-Ewuah said to improve its service delivery and give customers value for their money, GT, Western Region has centralised fault reception as a 24 hour service in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.

The Acting Director of Ghana Telecom, Mr. Philip Owusu, thanked the Minister for showing keen interest in the operations of GT.

He assured the Minister that he and the staff of the GT have accepted the challenge thrown to them by the government and would work harder to achieve the desired goal of extending telephone services to every corner of the country.