Parliament Finds Safety Risks, Poor Connectivity At Orange Sites

By Lemuella Tarawallie

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation has expressed serious concerns over the quality of Orange Sierra Leone’s mobile network services following a nationwide inspection of the company’s telecommunications facilities.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Boston Munda, raised the concerns during an oversight visit to several Orange operational sites countrywide, including Newton in the Western Rural District, Lungi Road in Port Loko District, Moyamba Junction, Taiama in Bo District and the Deep Rural Site at Jebeh Community in Kenema District.

According to Hon. Munda, the oversight exercise was prompted by numerous complaints from subscribers and petitions submitted to Parliament regarding the quality of services being provided by mobile network operators.

“We have received numerous complaints from the public about the quality of services being provided by Orange. As representatives of the people, it is our responsibility to verify these concerns on the ground and compare them with the explanations the company gave to Parliament,” Hon. Munda said.

He recalled that the Committee had earlier summoned Orange Sierra Leone, Africell and Qcell to Parliament to explain the challenges affecting their operations before embarking on the nationwide fact finding mission.

During the inspection of the Orange Newton site, Hon. Munda questioned the company’s National Chief Technical Officer, Sylvanus Sawyer, over what he described as a noticeable decline in 4G connectivity immediately after the Committee crossed the Hastings Toll Gate on its way to Waterloo.

“The moment we passed the Hastings Toll Gate, my Orange phone dropped to only one signal bar. I even received a WhatsApp call that was constantly breaking up. These are the practical experiences subscribers are complaining about every day,” Hon. Munda stated.

He observed that while traditional voice calls might still connect under weak network conditions, internet-based communication, particularly WhatsApp calls, “suffers significantly because of inadequate data connectivity”.

“Today, many Sierra Leoneans communicate through data calls rather than conventional voice calls. If internet connectivity is poor, it directly affects their daily lives and businesses,” he added.

Responding to the concerns, Orange Sierra Leone National Chief Technical Officer, Sylvanus Sawyer, explained that the company was operating 2G, 3G and 4G technologies, noting that “4G is specifically designed for internet services while 2G and 3G primarily support voice communication”.

He acknowledged that data speeds might reduce under certain network conditions but assured the Committee that Orange had invested in modern equipment to improve service delivery. “We have replaced our equipment with brand new technology because efficient equipment is essential for delivering quality 4G services. We have also deployed Massive MIMO technology, which significantly increases network capacity by incorporating multiple antennas within a single unit,” Sawyer explained.

The Committee also questioned Orange officials about the company’s bandwidth capacity and long term expansion plans for 2025, 2026 and 2027, stressing that Parliament intended to closely monitor the implementation of those commitments.

Committee member Hon. Paul Samba Conteh also expressed concerns over poor connectivity in the Rokel community, noting that increasing subscriber numbers should be matched with corresponding investment in network capacity.

“The more customers Orange attracts, the greater the demand placed on its network. The company must improve its bandwidth to meet that demand,” Hon. Conteh said.

At the Lungi Road telecommunications site in Port Loko District, Members of Parliament observed exposed cables and described them as a serious safety hazard. The Committee instructed Orange engineers to address the situation immediately.

The Committee also inspected the site’s power systems, batteries and generator facilities, where Orange officials reported stable operations and high network availability.

Speaking during the visit, IPT Operations Director Sameh Ragab said, “this site remains available almost one hundred percent of the time and currently has no significant power challenges affecting service delivery.”

Community leaders, however, presented a different perspective.

Headman Abubakarr Kamara of Lungi Road Community told journalists that both Orange and Africell services fluctuate regularly despite the presence of telecommunications infrastructure within the community. “Our network comes and goes. We are asking Orange not only to improve connectivity but also to fulfill its corporate social responsibility commitments to this community,” Kamara said.

At Moyamba Junction, Members of Parliament raised concerns over site management, environmental conditions and ageing power infrastructure.

Hon. Ambrose Maada Lebby questioned Orange officials about disconnected solar systems and the operational condition of the site’s generator.

In response, Sameh Ragab confirmed that although the generator remained operational, the entire power system was undergoing modernization. “We are not fully satisfied with the current power efficiency of this site. It is one of our priority locations and will be fully modernized within August,” Ragab assured the Committee.

Deputy Chairman Hon. Ing. Fallah Tengbeh also questioned the site’s power autonomy and recommended improved maintenance while modernization work is ongoing.

At the Taiama telecommunications site, the Committee observed what Members described as inadequate maintenance of an ageing generator.

Hon. Munda described the issue as one requiring urgent national attention after Orange officials admitted that customs clearance delays had slowed the replacement of obsolete equipment.

“We need Parliament’s support because delays in clearing critical equipment through customs are affecting network quality across the country,” Ragab appealed.

The Committee later inspected the Deep Rural Telecommunications site at Jebeh Community in Kenema District, where Members found poor vegetation management, inadequate security and evidence of repeated battery theft.

Hon. Munda directed Orange management to establish a dedicated maintenance team to regularly clean the facility and improve its overall condition.

Committee members further recommended constructing a concrete surface around the installation to reduce excessive vegetation growth and improve accessibility.

Residents in communities visited during the oversight exercise also voiced concerns over unreliable internet services, intermittent network coverage, generator noise and the absence of meaningful corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee concluded that the nationwide inspection was intended to independently verify both the complaints raised by citizens and the explanations earlier presented by Orange Sierra Leone before Parliament.

The Committee is expected to compile a comprehensive report containing its findings and recommendations for presentation to Parliament.