Environmental agency gives telcos August deadline on masts and towers

. . . NCC, NESREA on collision course.
Ben Uzor Jr
From all indication, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) are on a collision course as the environmental agency has given all telecommunications operators in the country up till August 23 to comply with the relevant environmental regulations requiring them to carry out a site specific environmental impact assessment on the location of their base stations.
Ngeri Benebo, director-general of NESREA who made this known while addressing representatives of telecoms companies during a review of draft regulations at the agency’s office in Abuja at the weekend, observed that government had extended the deadline from January to August in order to give sufficient room to telecoms operators so that they could put plans in motion to ensure the safety and health of the environment and members of the public.
Moreover, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and NESREA traded words over the issue last week as the telecom regulator came to the defense of telcos, claiming that operating companies have not breached any environmental standards. Bashir Gwandu, acting, executive vice chairman, NCC further explained: “We cannot have telecom in the country without having telecom masts around us because we do not have infrastructure in place like other countries that have fibre.
“Without masts and towers , there will not be good quality of service and if we do not allow masst and towers in these places, we will continue to have drop call in the country.” We must leave out regulation that are specifically for telecom to telecoms regulators, those that are for environment should be enforced to all on board and across board and not singling out telecommunications.
“Where it is only environment issues that affects the ecosystem I have no problem there, but when you see a regulation setting out specification for masts that is where I have a concern because we already have a specification in place that should be enforced. NESREAs’ action will be seen as targeting the investment world and that will send a wrong signal to those that may want to invest in this country.
“Let us not send that message, let us send message that we would welcome investors to come and invest in this country, we would keep rules on environment only environment specific not telecom specific” Gwandu warned. The NESREA boss dismissed the argument put forward by the NCC on the possible effect the regulatory enforcement may have on the investment in the telecoms sector, stating that no amount of investment could replace the health of the people.
“You have been given another deadline of August 23 rd and we will not go back on that. If it means sealing off as many of the companies masts as possible we will do that. You are aware that wells are been polluted, masts are falling and you say you are sorry about that. If by the time the mast falls and it kills some one, will one billion naira be able to bring that person back to life?”, she enquired.