Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has said he is not aware of any research by international bodies linking 5G network with Coronavirus.
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Pantami said this on Channels Television’s News At 10 on Sunday, regarding the safety of the network and theories linking it with the pandemic.
The minister dismissed speculations surrounding the network and its safety, saying that the federal government does not take decisions based on online speculations.
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“Firstly, it is not what is said online that government will work with. We are always taking decisions based on the opinions of experts, based on research,” he said.
Explaining further, Pantami said the major global health bodies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), involved in health matters, and the global telecom industries, have not found any link between 5G network and the disease.
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“When it comes to health, we have (the) World Health Organisation and many health bodies.
“I just want you to bring out any research which they have conducted and (in which they) made their position about 5G’s relationship with COVID-19. I am yet to see anyone from the World Health Organisation WHO.
“This is a body that accommodates our experts in health globally. We have ITU, the International Telecommunication Union.
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“I just challenge you to let me know one expert or ITU as a body or any other professional body that conducted research and also made it public that this is the position,” he stressed.
The minister, however, revealed that a trial was conducted in November 2019, after it was stalled for about two months.
He explained that the exercise could not go in September, because the government needed to accommodate all necessary stakeholders.
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Pantami noted that he personally took the trial, while stakeholders were invited and given the challenge to review the trial, and come up with recommendations.
According to him, the government is expecting the recommendations from the stakeholders, before deciding whether or not to deploy the network.
He noted that Uganda and Kenya are waiting to deploy the network, but the federal government is very much concerned about the safety of Nigerians.
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“There is no approval for any operator to deploy 5G; this decision will be taken after research and we are taking our time. Many countries deployed 5g – the US, UK, Germany, South Korea, India, and many more.
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“We are not in any way rushing; we are more interested in doing an extensive investigation so that we will be able to come out with something tangible,” Pantami added.
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