AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Desmond Paine  Even in the face of remarkable improvements in national mobile coverage, the residents of the Gola Rainforest region in eastern Sierra Leone find themselves grappling with significant connectivity challenges that threaten their safety and hinder emergency response efforts. The National Communications Authority (NCA) reports an impressive 75.30% 4G coverage across the country, with both 2G and 3G networks readily available in urban and many rural areas.  However, this progress leaves some corners of Sierra Leone, particularly the remote rainforest enclaves, in the shadows.  In these isolated communities, especially those nestled near the Gola Rainforest National Park, villagers often embark on treacherous treks to elevated vantage points, enduring steep climbs just to catch a glimpse of a reliable mobile signal. “The picture shared with this report captures the solitary spot in our area where we can consistently access mobile networks,” explained a local source, gestu...