Tension Heightens As Ikotun CDAs, Others Kick Against Airtel Optic Fibre Cable Upgrade Installations

Residents of Irebami Unity Community Development Association ( C.D.A) and other joint groups under Ikotun and its environs in Alimosho Local Area of Lagos State have kicked against the continuous upgrade installation of Airtel Network optic fibre cable , even as they repeatedly demand from the project contractor to submit a Clean Health Certification Report certified by agency of the government.

Residents and stakeholders of the community are groaning over the high-handedness of the contractor’s continuous digging of roads linking the mast located at Unity Street in Ikotun ; lamenting that the community over decades suffered complete neglect and infrastructural setbacks by successive governments at various hierarchical levels.

 

The leadership of other CDAs that comprises ward A , in the Local Government Area , also reiterated their support to engage the contractor to ensure due diligence on the project.

The community leaders also accused the installation contractor of flouting government directive on the COVID19, saying during the peak of the lockdown period  most of the labourers were  not properly kitted with safety equipment to execute the project.

According to a statement signed  by all the joint CDA Chairmen of Alimosho Local Government Area( Ward A) and other principal stakeholders of Irebami Unity CDA recently, called on the Lagos State Government and it regulatory agency;Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) to carry out thorough investigation on the life threatened but sophisticated infrastructure.

The joint CDAs expressed worries over the
unprofessional conduct and indiscriminate digging of the cable layouts along the proposed drainage channels by the company’s contractors saying the labourers are not equipped with proper working tools and they are not properly trained to carry out sophisticated project of this magnitude.

In the statement , Chairman Irebami Unity CDA , Prince Noah Odunsi Abiola dated July 13 2020, described the contractor’s project as unguided, unprofessional and unsupervised by the state government adding the life of the residents are at risk.

 

 

Abiola also noted that the sub contractor, Messes, JUS Partner Cosmopolitan Limited allegedly paid some faceless groups suspected to be cultists to stand with the labourers while carrying out installations at wee hours ,thus compromising the security architect of the community, pointing out that residents could no longer sleep with their eyes closed.

” in order to avoid future occurrences of untimely and avoidable death rates in our community, we also demanded from the project contractor to submit a Clean Health Certification Report certified by your agency and/ or any other government health authority, so as to allay the fears of the residents who are already apprehensive.

“The health report will indicate the health implications of the effect of the reinforcement of the optics fibre cables to the base station and the resultant effects of the radiation from the mast to human body, most especially the health risk challenge it will pose to endanger the lives of residents living close to the base station.

 

Abiola alleged that model of mast are considered obsolete and not fit for higher network upgrade noting that the project consultant had allegedly brought in unauthorized military personnel to harass,intimate and oppress residents of the community on different occasions.

He alleged that the contractor has also adopted a ” divide and rule ” tactics, which in turn resulted to propaganda and blackmail of the CDA ,as residents directly accused executive members of receiving bribes and thereby backtracking on initial demands.

The chairman who spoke on behalf of other concerned CDAs chairmen and stakeholders reiterated that:”We find it more disturbing that at this period of the general lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world at large and disobeying the Federal and state Government’s directive that, everyone should stay at home and to keep social distancing in order to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, we then ask ; Why is the project consultant with the backing of your agency, encouraging strange people to constantly invade our community under the cover of carrying out this optics fibre installation more importantly during the lockdown period.

 

Primarily, in a letter, dated 24 June 2020 and addressed to the CDA Chairman by LASIMRA , explained that the agency operates with a clear legal framework where all operators are held to exactly the same standards which they
are all aware of.

The letter signed by Engr. Funsho Elulade, General Manager/ CEO LASIMRA said :”We write in reference to your letter dated 22 April 2020 on the above subject, making several
complaints regarding the conduct of JUS Partners Cosmopolitan Ltd, a sub-contractor to Airtel Network Limited, in carrying out their work within the community.

 

“We note however that, in the course of our investigations on the issues raised in your letter we were informed that your Community Development Association (“CDA”) had resolved all outstanding issues with the sub-contractor in question. We were further assured during a telephone call with this Agency on 29 May 2020 that your CDA would confim this resolution in writing.

“We are however yet to receive any letter, and therefore request that you write to us confirming that the issue is closed so that the investigation may be formally discontinued.

“Further, for the avoidance of doubt, we would like to correct certain inaccuracies raised in your letter. You refer to our “agency’s commitment in promoting Airtel’s business interest” and that you “strongly believe that your favourable recommendation to the Lagos State Government on this project, must have influenced the official approval granted.. for Airtel”

“Allow us to inform you that the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory
Agency Law 2004 (the “LASIMRA Law”) established LASIMRA as the Agency of the State Government tasked with monitoring all activities relating to telecommunications
infrastructure in the State, including laying of fibre optics cables.

” LASIMRA The Agency’s “commitment” is to conduct oversight of work done by all
operators and their sub-contractors, and to suggest otherwise is entirely incorrect.

“We look forward to receiving your letter,” he added.

But in another public notice by the agency, recently , implored officials of all gated residence associations, Local Government and Local community Development Areas within the geographical boundaries of Lagos State to allow access to all designated contractors for laying of fibre ducts in their areas.

The public notice signed by the GM/CEO, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency , said :”The Lagos State Government wishes to inform all gated residence Association, Local Government, LCDAS and other communities in state that the Lagos government to Unified fibre ducts infrastructure and Connectivity project has commenced in accordance with the Public Private Laws of Lagos State.

“This project will enable the Lagos smart City to provide a super efficient data broadband and uninterrupted internet service for Lagosians.

 

By Roland Ekama