The Federal Government has charged private and public entities that use radio frequency spectrum or operate radio-communications equipment without government permission to regularise their operations by applying to the ministry to obtain appropriate authorisation to avoid sanctions and/or possible prosecution.
According to the Federal Government, in a check carried out, of the 300 frequencies monitored, 106 of them were found to be used without due licence.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Musa Istifanus, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, during a two-day sensitisation workshop titled: “Implications of Irregular and Illegal Use of Radio Frequency.”
Istifanus, represented by his Technical Assistant in the ministry, Dr. Patrick Oghuma, through a virtual discussion, said that members of the public, private companies and organisations were advised and encouraged to co-operate with ministry’s officials that are on regular routine inspection duties of premises to curb incidences of irregular and illegal use of radio frequency spectrum and operation of radio-communications equipment without due authorisation.
He said that the ministry’s enforcement team would also embark on regular inspection duties of premises that have radio-communications installations, especially those that use walkie-talkie radios to ensure that they are duly authorised to use such radios.
The Permanent Secretary said that Spectrum Monitoring Reports in the past few months indicate that individuals and some organisations use the radio frequency spectrum and operate radio-communications equipment without due authorisation.
In his presentation, Director (Radio Monitoring System), Kilyobas Binga, pointed out that the ministry has five radio monitoring centres in South-West, North-West, South-South and Abuja and the six monitoring centres would be cited in South-East for efficient and effective monitoring of the entire radio frequency space of the country.
Also, in his contribution, Deputy Director-General, National Commission on Small Arms & Light Weapons Control (NATCOM), Prof. Atte Timothy, stated that there was frequency jamming which made some people to jam security intelligence and there is need to come out with standing order on how to regulate the use of walkie-talkie equipment in the country.
Earlier, representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Brig.-Gen. E.O. Agbebaku, noted that spectrum management monitoring is one of the key elements of national spectrum management system, adding that the military is ready to collaborate with the ministry to cover the existing gap of distance frequency and resistance to enforcement of spectrum rules and regulations.
Source: Guardian
