Telecoms’ masts not harmful to human, NATCOM says

The National Association of Telecommunications’ Subscribers (NATCOMS) on Wednesday allayed concerns of people living near telecoms’ masts saying that they were not harmful to human health.

NATCOMS President, Deolu Ogunbanjo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the Electro-Magnetic Frequency (EMF) from telecommunications’ masts was not harmful to health.

“There is no substantive evidence to say that EMF from telecoms’ masts is harmful to human.

“Several kinds of research have been conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and it has come up with the conclusion that mast set up beside residential area is not harmful to human.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has also said that telecoms’ mast has no health hazards and NCC is the most appropriate body to say anything on the matter,” he said.

According to him, WHO officials visited Nigeria last year to allay the fears of citizens on the issue.

Ogunbanjo noted that in other climes, masts were often set up on top of buildings in urban areas, adding that such practice would not have been possible if it had health implications.

Similarly, Mr Jide Awe, an executive of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), told NAN that residents concern on the erecting of telecoms’ masts in residential areas was based on speculations.

“There is no proof of health hazards, whatever people say on masts is speculation based on individual ideas.

“What may actually exist is an environmental threat which is within the capacity of the regulatory agencies to deal with,” Awe said.