Government to regulate distribution of communication masts

d the government’s determination to regulate the erection and distribution of telecommunication masts across the country.

He said stringent measures are being put in place to assure public safety and that an inter-ministerial committee had already been set up to develop guidelines to bring about some level of sanity.

This was contained in a speech read for him at a workshop on “electromagnetic fields exposure and health” held at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Kumasi.

It was jointly organized by the Ministry of Communications, Ghana Investment Fund of Electronic Communications and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The goal was to create awareness and deepen public understanding on the differences between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.

It brought together students from tertiary institutions and members of the general public.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said it was true that the license conditions of telecommunication service operators demand of them adequate infrastructure to meet the quality of service obligations.

This also required the deployment of base stations including towers and masts but he noted that uncoordinated erection and distribution of these masts had resulted in their proliferation, triggering public complaints.

These are mainly about perceived health effects of radiation, closeness to residence and schools, noise from generators and refusal to seek neighbourhood consent.

He said it was therefore pertinent to provide the public with correct and verifiable information on electromagnetic fields and address their concerns regarding exposure and health.

A Senior Research Scientist of the Ghana Atomic Commission, Mr Joseph K. Amoako, encouraged mobile phone users to rely more on the hands-free device to receive calls because "this was safer".

Mrs Audrey Quaicoo, Principal Programme Officer of the EPA, said new conditions are being introduced for towers that may be sited in particular residential areas and this include using pine and palm tree towers as alternatives.