By Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha
The Senate Tuesday resolved to probe the status of fifth generation (5G) network in the country.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Uche Ekwenife, asking four of its standing committees to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the status of 5G network in the country.
The investigating committees are those of Communications, Science and Technology, ICT and Cybercrimes which will determine the technological impact of 5G network on Nigerian citizens.
The four committees led by Communications Committee headed by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, are to report back to plenary within four weeks.
Ekwunife, in her motion, drew her colleagues’ attention to the fact that “the uncertainty on whether or not the 5G network has been launched in Nigeria will continue to fuel speculations and rumour concerning the deployment of the 5G network and its effects on citizens of Nigeria”.
According to her, it has become a source of concern that the deployment of the network in urban areas would lead to the instalment of “a strong radiating mobile communications antenna approximately every 100 meters, producing a radiation tsunami and taking up to a 1,000 fold increase in the transmission power”.
She informed the Senate that “several countries including Switzerland, one of the world leaders in the rollout of the 5G mobile technology, has placed an indefinite moratorium on the use of 5G network because of its health hazards.”
The senator further urged the Senate to note the concerns by some scientists and medical experts “that the emissions from the 5G towers could adversely affect the health of citizens by causing symptoms like damage to the eye, antibiotics resistance, as well as other physiological effects on the nervous system and the immune system”.
She expressed her desire to investigate the true status of 5G network in the country with a view to ensuring that Nigerian citizens are not exposed to an unreasonable risk of great bodily injury.
Ekwuenife also expressed concern that the uncertainty surrounding whether or not the 5G network has been launched in Nigeria will continue to fuel the speculations and rumours concerning the deployment of the 5G network and its effect on the citizenry.
Lawmakers who contributed to the debate on the motion noted the recent statement credited to the Minister of Communications, Isah Pantami, to the effect that no licence has been granted for the operation of the 5G network in Nigeria.
The Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, in his contribution, said the motion is self explanatory and straightforward “which requires no further debate but for the prayer to be adopted”.
