Sunyani, (Brong Ahafo) 14 Sept.,

The Atebubu District Chief Executive, Mr. Thomas Takyi, has attributed the constant leakage of vital official secrets to the absence of International Direct Dialling (IDD) facility in the district capital. In a memorandum to the sector Minister, Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah and copied to the GNA, Mr. Takyi said due to the absence of the facility, government officials are compelled to communicate vital information to their regional and national headquarters at the local post office to the hearing of other people. He has therefore appealed to the ministry for the provision of IDD facility to protect such official secrets and also to enhance social and commercial activities in the district. The DCE said in 1996, Ghana Telecom supplied IDD equipment to be installed at Yeji and Atebubu, two commercial towns in the district, but for no apparent reason, the one for Atebubu could not rpt not be installed. He said despite assurances by the regional director of Ghana Telecom to install the facility, "this is yet to materialise". He implored the sector minister to help improve the external telecommunication facility at Atebubu to get the district capital "near the current information super highway".