By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Residents of Imam Road, Gwaraji and Suleiman Aliyu Dili Street, Ungwan Dosa in Kaduna North Local Government Area have expressed dismay over the erection of a telecom mast in the community which is causing health, physical, and noise pollution hazards to residents.
A member of the community who is also the Sarkin Yakin Danejin Katsina, Alhaji Bello Kagara, said the property where the mast is
erected is a residential one.
He explained that members of the community have been suffering health, physical infrastructure, and noise pollution hazards because of the telecom Mast.
He lamented that the representatives of the community had twice met with with the owner of the property who leased out his residence for the erection of IHS 13TS mast to no avail.
This according to him prompted them to seek the services of a legal practitioner, Mssrs Mamman Nasir & Co.who conveyed their grievances to the Coordinator of NESREA Office in the state, and also to the Controller, National Communication Commission, (NCC) Zonal office in Kano, demanding for immediate removal of IHS 13TS mast.
According to the traditional leader, a letter of complaint was also sent to IHS Communication of Nigeria through its Customer Service/Network Group in Abuja, demanding the immediate removal of its 13TS mast from our community.
The Sarkin Yakin also informed that the community contact the State Director of Infrastructure who personally visited the area and attested to the verility of the community’s complaints.
“Regrettably all our complaints seemed to fall on deaf ears. You can see some policemen, members of vigilante here, they came on the issue of the mast today. When this mast was sited in our community we did not know its implications, but later on, we started experiencing health challenges among neighbors.
“The site constitutes health threats to community members. Complaints ranging from headaches, sleep disorders, memory loss, and dwindling concentration among others are constantly being reported.
“The Darul Qur’an Littalifiz Waddirasatil Islamiyyah is where the lives of over 500 students and 400 women attending classes there daily are in danger.
“We, the leaders of the Community have prevailed on our youth who are bent to react, especially when a member of the community started having hearing impairment because of the noise pollution from the telecom mast.
“We are calling on the government, and all relevant authorities, including CSOs and well meaning Nigerians to do the needful before, the situation degenerates into something else,” the Sarkin Yakin Danejin Katsina said.