LAGOS SETS UP REGULATORY UNIT ON MASTS INSTALLATION

By Laja Thomas
LAGOS-Lagos State Government is set to address the issue of indiscriminate erection of masts and towers by telecommunications operators and Internet Service Providers, ISPs, in the state.

Already, the government has concluded arrangements to empower the Ministry of Physical Plan-ning and Urban Development to regulate activities of the operators through the Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit, UFRU, to address anomalies created by persons and organisations who erect such masts and towers without regard to the State Urban and Regional Planning and Development, SURP, Law 2010, among other extant laws.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde called on the public,  telecommunications operators, ISPs and other organisations invol-ved in the use and installa-tions of masts and towers in the state, to cooperate with UFRU, which would be headed by Mr. Joe Igbokwe, in its assignment.

He, however, stressed that UFRU does not regulate telecommuni-cations activities in the state and as such cannot grant licenses or allocate frequencies, but only backed by law to regulate masts and towers installations and ensure compliance with the state laws and regulations on Physical Planning and Urban Development.

According to Ayinde, owners, users and operators of masts and towers, including parabolic anten-nae like VSAT and other types of antennae and similar structure, should register with UFRU for the purpose of sanitising the environment.