The Nigerian Communications Commission says it is now compelled to cut down electromagnetic fields being emitted by base stations and believed to cause leukaemia, infertility and alteration in cerebral blood flow, among other health hazards.
It, therefore, said it was in the process of acquiring multi-functional software developed by the International Telecommunications Union to calculate the cumulative radio frequency exposure levels near transmitting base transceiver stations.
The NCC stated this at the second West African conference on EMF exposure and health held in Lagos.
Though the World Health Organisation studies are yet to find any clear risk or health hazards associated with EMF, the commission said the acquisition of the multi-functional software was a way to check the rising cases of cancer usually linked to EMF emissions.
It, however, expressed concern that the telecommunications companies would require about 51, 000 BTS extra to provide better communications service.
There were about 29, 000 BTS for both Global System Mobile and Code Division Multiple Access service providers in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy by Gross Domestic Product, as of December 2013. Industry players recently feared that an extra 51, 000 BTS, bringing those to about 80, 000, would further portend more danger for Nigerians.
But the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Eugene Juwah, said that the EMF estimator software contained the library of the radiation patterns of transmitting antennas for a wide range of radio communication and broadcast services.
Juwah, who was represented by NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, added that the software technology had proven “to be a very useful tool for administration.”
He said, “As responsible regulators, we need to constantly be on top of the game by keeping the citizenry informed and reassured as information becomes available regarding any health risks associated with EMF, which need to be properly considered and reported during the rollout of new technologies as they become available.”
Maska said the regulator would continually engage and monitor operators to ensure that they comply with international best practices during deployment of telecoms infrastructure such as base stations.
He said, “As we work with operators and assure our people of their safety, citizens’ resistance to the establishment of BTS will diminish significantly.”
Maska said that global standards, such as those published by ITU as a way to mitigate the potential risks in an environment where there was huge growth in deployment of wireless technology, also offered guidelines for the assessment of human exposure, based on existing ITU recommendations and standards produced by other standards development organisations.
He noted that steps were being taken to give this standard the necessary legal backing, saying, “The commission is working with the House of Representatives’ Committee on Science and Technology on the EMF Bill, which is oriented in the WHO Model of Legislation and ICNIRP standard.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, said since mobile or cellular phones were now an integral part of national life, the number of BTS in the country would rise.
She said, “In many countries, over half the population use mobile phones and the market is growing rapidly. Already, here in Nigeria, as of September 2014, there were over 135 million active subscribers of both mobile and fixed wired/wireless lines; and this number will increase.” Agency report
