By Sallieu S, Kanu
Bo City, August 2, 2026: Sierra Leone’s Parliamentary Committee on Communications has urged Orange Sierra Leone to accelerate infrastructure upgrades and improve service delivery following a nationwide oversight tour that uncovered widespread network failures, safety hazards, and poor community engagement.
Chaired by Hon. Boston Munda, the Committee inspected sites from Newton in the Western Rural Area to Bo in the Southern Region, accompanied by MPs, civil society representatives, the media, and Orange officials. The tour revealed serious concerns ranging from unstable connectivity and outdated equipment to environmental risks and fuel theft.
At Newton, MPs noted weak coverage with “one drop bar” improving only slightly at the facility. Orange’s Chief Technology Officer, Sylvanus Sawyer, explained that heavy data usage from the ongoing “Kola Promotion” was straining 4G capacity, while expansion efforts had been delayed by difficulties importing spectrum equipment.
In Port Loko, the Committee found a pole site at risk of fire due to oil leaks, with residents reporting exposed cables and persistent data problems. At Moyamba Junction, MPs flagged fuel spillage, theft, and generator noise disrupting residents, while Taiama Town’s outdated generator was blamed for connectivity issues.
Remote sites such as Jembe Town were found overgrown and poorly maintained, with chiefs complaining of unfulfilled land agreements. Orange admitted operating 49 similar rural sites, each serving over 500 subscribers, but pledged modernization once 70 containers of equipment arrive in Sierra Leone.
The Committee praised the Langba Street site in Bo City as a model installation — solar‑powered with generator and battery backup — but stressed that such standards must be replicated nationwide.
Hon. Munda concluded that the oversight tour exposed “network problems, infrastructure issues, and other challenges that hinder service delivery,” urging Orange to act swiftly on upgrades, address safety concerns, and strengthen community engagement to ensure subscribers receive reliable service.