A community in the Saboba District of the Northern Region has resorted to an unusual but telling workaround to access mobile network services. In Sanguli, the only place residents can consistently catch a weak signal is beneath a mango tree — and even then, phones must be lifted high above ground.
A viral video from the area shows numerous mobile devices suspended from ropes tied to the branches, swaying like fruits in the wind. Locals say this is the only way calls can go through or basic internet activities can be carried out.
Poor network quality has plagued the community for several years. Students returning home during school breaks are particularly affected, as even the simplest online tasks become impossible. Residents explain that uploading or downloading small files can take more than an hour.
Those who are not tall enough to reach their phones after hoisting them up rely on stones or wooden supports, turning a simple phone call into a physical struggle. Privacy is nonexistent, and urgent communication often becomes a challenge.
The footage has amplified calls for major telecom providers — MTN, Vodafone, Telecel, AirtelTigo and Glo — to improve service accessibility in the area. Locals believe that whichever network acts first will likely gain widespread customer loyalty, as the entire community is desperate for reliable connectivity.
For residents of Sanguli, modern communication has literally been tied to the branches of a tree — a symbolic reminder of the widening digital divide across rural Ghana.
Watch video:
A concerned citizen shared a video from the Sanguli community in the Saboba District of Northern Ghana, showing residents using long ropes tied to a mango tree to hang their phones in order to access mobile networks.
The citizen expressed frustration about the difficulty of… pic.twitter.com/0zrCLeeOnA
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) October 30, 2025
