Plans to demolish more than 7000 masts belonging to banks and telcos have been suspended indefinitely by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
NCAA suspended the plan due to the manner in which affected operators quickly adhered to the laid down directives on Aviation Height Clearance approval for tower installation.
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The Details: The affected operators were Globacom Nigeria with 7,012 masts; United Bank of Africa, 439 masts; Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, 295 masts; Unity Bank, 217 masts; Sterling Bank, 159 masts; Union Bank with 92 masts; First City Monument Bank, 205 masts; Fidelity Bank, 83 masts, and Access Bank with 303 masts.
Responding to the development, General Manager, Public Relations of the NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said, “There has been a positive response from almost everyone involved which warranted a review.”
Recall that in April, NCAA threatened to demolish over 7,000 telecommunications masts belonging to Global System for Mobile Communications providers erected across the country.
In June, the regulator said it would demolish a total of 8,805 masts belonging to some banks and telcos after they refused to get the appropriate clearance to erect any high structure in the country.
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What the law states: Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NigCARS) Part 12.1.7.1.3.1 stipulates, “No person or organisation shall put up a structure (permanent or temporary) within the navigable airspace of Nigeria unless such a person or organisation is a holder of Aviation Height Clearance Certificate granted under this regulation.”
Nairametrics, however, learnt that no mast was demolished due to the responses the regulator got from affected organizations.
Way forward: Adurogboye stated that the directorate in charge will come up with a way forward after reviewing all the responses gotten from the operators.
What you should know: Aviation Heights Clearance (AHC) is an official permission granted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to an applicant prior to the commencement of construction of a structure within the Nigerian Airspace.
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