Erect masts on top of buildings - Minister

Accra, May 10, GNA - Mr. Gideon Quarcoo, Deputy Minister of Communications, has called on telecommunication service providers to erect communication masts on top of tall buildings to save space and cost.

He made reference to countries including the United States of America where many telecommunication masts were constructed and made to rest on top of buildings and stressed that it was cost-effective. Mr. Quarcoo made the call on Monday at a public forum organised by the National Communications Authority (NCA) in Accra to discuss the proposed guidelines for the deployment of communication towers. Dr. Omane Boamah, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, said the feasibility for erecting telecommunication masts would depend on 'infrastructural integrity' of the host building. He said the roof top of many public buildings including universities, offices and hotels could be used for the erection of the telecommunication masts.

Concerning the possibility of radiation from the telecommunication masts causing cancer, Dr. Boamah said: "it is impossible to believe that the kind of radiation we are dealing with causes cancer. On the other hand, we cannot throw all cautions to the wind." "Even if the radiation would cause cancer, is humanity ready and willing to abandon the cellular phone?" Dr. Boamah said the issue of public outcry on erection of telecommunication masts had been more of psychological and the collapse of the towers causing damages to lives and properties than on its potential to cause cancer. He said the forum provided stakeholders and other interest groups the opportunity to make meaningful inputs to make the document a practical guideline that would serve as a framework for deploying communication towers.

The public forum was also to make contributions towards the formulation of a guideline that would address the proliferation of towers in the country and by encouraging co-location. It was to ensure conformity with regards to health and safety acceptable international standards and to facilitate infrastructural development to enhance the delivery of quality of service. The public have been encouraged to make contributions to the guidelines and to submit suggestions, comments and questions electronically via the NCA to the address: info@nca.org.gh.