The Government through Ghana Telecom hopes to expand the telephone fixed network to enable it to provide a minimum of 400,000 fixed lines by 2005 throughout the country.

The measure is aimed at extending telephone services to every town with a Senior Secondary School, Teacher Training College or University or special activities that might exist there.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Communications, said this in Parliament on Friday when Mr Bernard Achidago Akugri, NDC- Binduri asked when Ghana Telecom would extend its services to the communities of Binduri, Zawse, Bazua and Atuba.

The Minister said it was envisaged that the rollout expansion of Ghana Telecom would provide coverage to all district capitals and most rural and urban areas without telephone facilities at present.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said Ghana Telecom's GSM Onetouch service was being upgraded to enable the network facility to cover the length and breath of the country.

In addition planned increases in the number of pay phones would provide as many customers as possible access to telecommunications services in both the urban and rural areas.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said in line with Ghana Telecom's programme the communities of Binduri, Zawse, Bazua and Atuba would receive telephone coverage between 2004 and 2005 adding that plans were advanced to increase the capacity of the Bawku switch from 500 to 3,000 lines to benefit the communities.

He said telephone facilities would be installed in line with the terms of the agreement between Telenor Management Partner (TMP) of Norway and the government.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said this in an answer to another question asked by Mr Modestus Ahiable, NDC- Ketu North on behalf of Mr Joe Gidisu, NDC- North Tongu as to what steps the Ministry was taking to extend telephone facilities to Adidome, Mafi Kumase, Mepe, Battor and Juapong in the North Tongu District.

The Minister in an answer to another question said the expansion of switching capacity from 100 lines to a minimum of 1,000 lines in Kete Krachi was planned for completion by 2005 and it formed part of the major expansion programme being undertaken by Ghana Telecom.

Mr Francis Yaw Osei-Sarfo, NDC- Krachi asked what plans the Ministry had to expand the Kete-Krachi telephone lines from 100 to 1,000 lines as programmed and when the Onetouch mobile lines would be made operational there.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said Ghana Telecom was about concluding the procurement exercise and very soon work would start on the expansion of telephone facilities through out the country.

In another answer the Minister said, Ghana Telecom had initiated a programme to extend itemised bills to cover trunk calls.

He said the programme was currently being tried in Accra and would be extended to cover the rest of the country by August this year when evaluation of the programme would have been completed.

Nana Asante Frempong, NPP- Kwabre, asked the Minister why Kumasi telephone subscribers did not receive external telephone bills itemised as in the case of Accra subscribers.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said itemised bills were produced for all customers with the International Direct Dial (IDD) facility and that meant those with the IDD in Kumasi or elsewhere received itemised bills.