5G: Nigerians are Being Misinformed – Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta

By Anya C. Anya

The Executive Vice Chairman/ CEO of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has expressed dissatisfaction with the level of misrepresentation and misinformation that went on concerning the launch of the 5G network in Nigeria.

Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta expressed his displeasure Concerning that development in his opening remarks at the capacity building programme for members of Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association on 27th October 2020 at the Digital Bridge Institute Abuja.

As contained in the copy of the opening remarks of the NCC Vice Chairman as made available to AFNEWS, Prof. Garba Danbatta said “Let me turn our attention to the issue of 5G. A lot of falsehoods and misinformation have been peddled both on online and traditional media outlets about the health and safety implications of deploying 5G technology.As I stated in my speech during the NITRA Innovative Tech forum, according to a recent landmark economy study conducted by Qualcomm, 5G will affect the global economy and drive growth exponentially. 5G’s full economic effect will likely be realized across the globe by 2035, supporting a wide range of industries and potentially enabling up to $13.2 trillion worth of goods and services. This impact will be much greater than the current 4G network.”

On the benefits of launching and using the 5G network , Prof. Garba opened that ” 5G when fully deployed will provide increased speed and bandwidth as well as provide deeper coverage to reach people in rural or challenging locations. In addition, 5G will provide strong security for the various sectors of government and private organizations.Due to its sheer scale and scope, the ITU predicts 5G will accelerate the achievements of all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) from affordable and clean energy to zero hunger.”

” The misinformation/misrepresentation of 5G technology has the potential of derailing the launch/implementation of this new technology in our clime.Many Nigerians including citizens in more civilized countries were hooked on the notion that the introduction of 5G technology was the reason behind the spread of the novel COVID-19 Pandemic. This misconception was even made worse because those saddled with the responsibility of informing, educating and enlightening the average Nigerian telecom consumers were also bereft of the knowledge of this new technology and hitched a ride on the band wagon of doubters.”

“This is the reason why training such as this is necessary for members of NITRA who have continued to cover the ICT industry in Nigeria. We will ensure that the NCC maintains this training periodically for our crucial stakeholders in the media to ensure that the information that reaches the average Nigerian is accurate and timely.It is our duty and responsibility to ensure that whatever we want to introduce to the Nigerian telecoms space is well understood by Nigerians and all those who make use of our telecoms services.”

“The onus is on all of us here today to make sure that we take this training seriously and take advantage of it to expand on our horizons. This is very necessary so that when we report events or activities relating to the industry, we are able to translate them into a language that the common man will readily understand.The Commission will continue to support capacity building and other initiatives which foster closer interaction and build stronger relationship with your members.”

“I therefore enjoin you to continue to be objective in your reportage to ensure that all our stakeholders benefit from the knowledge you will acquire during this meaningful training programme.” He concluded