Senate demands suspension of 5G network deployment over controversies

The Senate on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to suspend the planned deployment of the Fifth Generation Network in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the President of Loveworld Inc., Dr. Chris Oyakhilome had raised concerns over deployment of 5G network, because of its perceived health risks and the seeming silence of authorised regulators to address its advantages and disadvantages.

He said, though he would love to go on the 5G network within hours if they rolled it out, it was important that all its health risks be understood and the challenges are fixed.

“If there are health risks, they should be fixed. We want to go on extraordinary technology but we must also consider all the health implications. That’s my point,” he added.

However, at its meeting on Tuesday, the red chamber stated that after the deliberation on a motion by Senator Uche Ekwunife, drawing the attention of the senators to the status of the 5G network in the country, it is important that the network deployment be suspended for now.

Ekwunife said her motion was borne out of the need to assure Nigerians of their safety by asking the Federal Government to postpone the launch until a proper investigation was carried out.

The Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, said the 5G network deployment remained a controversial issue.

He said the experts should be allowed to handle it and deliberate on the merits and demerits of its deployment.

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said it would be irresponsible of any government to subscribe to a technology that won’t be safe for its citizens. He noted that no scientific research has been done by any agency of the Federal Government on the 5G network.

He said countries in Europe were already investigating the implications of the deployment and wondered why Nigeria had yet to do so.

The Senate therefore asked its committees on Communication, Science, Technology and ICT, and that of Health to conduct a thorough investigation with a view to determining the status of the 5G network in the country.

In the interim, the red chamber asked the relevant federal agency supervising the ICT operations in the country to suspend the 5G deployment until a thorough probe to determine its suitability for human health had been achieved.