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The National Security Council Secretariat has described as �a matter of grievous concern� the destruction of telecommunication cables, saying its impact affects national security. A letter signed by the National Security Co-ordinator, Lt. Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (retd), and addressed to the Minister of Roads and Highways, stated that �road construction works are the major cause of cutting and damaging of fibre optic cables across the country resulting in disruption of communications�. In the letter, which was copied to the Office of the President and all regional and district security council chairmen, Lt. Col. Gbevlo�Lartey said: �The impact of such disruption on national security and development is a matter of grievous concern.� In order to address the situation, the national security chief has directed that before road contractors move to site, they must be provided with a telecoms cable lay-out for the relevant area of work. Every contractor working in such an area must also �submit an undertaking in writing as to his duty of care to protect such cables from damage.� A copy of both the lay-out and the written undertaking must be made available to the national security secretariat to support its operational and monitoring efforts, the directive said. The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has reported a phenomenal increase in cable cuts, which disrupt access to the networks. In the first quarter of 2013 alone, the chamber has reported over 650 incidents of cable cuts. In 2012 there were over 1,600 cuts, compared to 435 in 2011. Operators have invested over US$6 billion in Ghana over the last decade and half, created over 1.8 million jobs and contribute 10 per cent of all government revenues.