By Ahmed Rahma
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has stated that there is no known scientific evidence suggesting that the 5G network poses any risks to public health and safety.
He revealed this when he led the heads of agencies under his ministry and other stakeholders to an investigative public hearing by the Senate Joint Committee on Communications; Science and Technology; Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Cyber Crimes; and Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, at the National Assembly Chamber in Abuja on Thursday, February 25, 2021.
Speaking at the public hearing, Mr Pantami affirmed the findings from independent scientific reports published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), both agencies of the United Nations (UN), which clearly indicate that there is no health risks to human lives associated with the deployment of 5G.
The Minister said after the initial approval by President Muhammadu Buhari, which led to the commencement of 5G trial in 2019 in selected locations in the country and the subsequent intervention of the National Assembly in 2020, seeking clarifications on probable health risks of 5G deployment, the Ministry had so far undertaken wide-ranging stakeholder consultations to ascertain the safety of 5G networks.
He explained that having aligned with the ITU and WHO reports and studied 5G deployment situations in many advanced countries where it has been fully deployed without any health risks, the ministry can affirmatively say that there is no health risks to 5G networks.
“To this end, we are also working on a 5G deployment policy that will take care of all security, health and safety concerns of Nigerians and we will get the nod of the President after all issues have been addressed before we proceed with our deployment, as we cannot afford to lag behind in the 5G revolution,” he explained.
The Minister further explained that 5G is an enhanced technology over the previous technologies of 4G, 3G and 2G, the three of which have more radiations than the 5G technology, adding that the “radiation from mobile technologies such as 5G is internationally certified by ITU and WHO as non-ionising, meaning such radiation does do not have a harmful effect on human lives and it is far low compared with radiation from a microwave oven that individuals use in their homes.”
Earlier in his address, the President of the Senate, Mr Ahmed Lawan, said the Senate resolved on May 5, 2020, that the joint committee conduct the public hearing, following a motion of public importance and urgency by Mrs Uche Ekwunife, Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, to resolve all public health and safety concerns around 5G before the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) can proceed with its deployment in Nigeria.
After listening to all the views and submissions by the various stakeholders, the Lead Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, said that the purpose of the public enquiry was meant to help clarify and allay the fears of any health concerns among Nigerians.
“We hope all the submissions here today which point to the same direction on the safety of 5G to human lives will put the mind of Nigerians at rest that there is nothing to fear.
“We also hope that Nigerians will be looking forward to having 5G deployed in Nigeria,” she said.
