THE MOBILE MASTS CONTROVERSY

We congratulate the International Telecommunications Union for the focus and theme of this year’s International Telecommunications and Information Society Day, observed on May 15: 'Connecting persons with disabilities: the opportunity of ICT'.

Speaking at the flag-hoisting ceremony in Accra, the Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah, stated that the ministry is to enact legislation to protect the communications sector and also establish Ghana as a safe place for ICT to flourish.

We fully support the creative idea of opening up the world of ICT to the disabled and the marginalised because ICT is now the currency of development and self improvement. Nobody should be left out.

And we are especially enthused about the idea of the government introducing laws and regulations to protect the sector, as the Minister stated.

However, we would also like to draw attention to the need, similarly, to formulate regulations for operators in the sector to forestall any possible health threat to the public.

Specifically, we have in mind the problems posed by mobile phone masts, or towers, or cell towers, as they are variously called.

The ever-growing popularity of mobile phones and the ever-expanding spread of the operators, means that mobile phone masts are springing up all over the place.

Nobody disputes that mobile or cell phones have now become an indispensable part of life.

But it is also a fact that in some developed countries, countries that have been using mobile phones much longer than we have, the issue of possible health risks from emissions of the masts is a matter of great controversy.

Some people there have been very actively campaigning to prevent the location of these masts in residential areas and near schools. They claim that there is risk of cancer from the emissions from the masts.

However, we are also aware that others insist that that there is as yet no proof that the masts emit anything that is a danger to health and that they are as safe as the mobile phones themselves.

Nevertheless, in our view, there is no harm in the National Communications Authority looking at the Ghanaian situation and taking regulatory steps to ensure that the towers are located far from residential areas, to protect the public in case of any future research findings supporting the danger theory.

The possible dangerous emissions are not the only problem.

In a case with which we are familiar at Dormaa-Ahenkro, in the Brong-Ahafo Region, a mammoth mast, powered by a very noisy generator, has been located in a residential area; in fact between two houses.

Thus the hapless residents have to endure the noise, akin to a loud corn mill, 24 hours a day.

Even if for now there is no proof that masts emit harmful rays, in our opinion nobody should have to put up with such unrelenting noise in their homes every blessed day. It cannot be doing them any good.

Such invasions of people’s privacy and peace of mind should not be allowed and we urge the NCA to go on inspection tours and give guidance to local authorities and uninformed communities on these matters.

Surely, this should be part of the NCA’s duties.