BY EMEKA AGINAM

LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has given owners of communications masts made of hollow-pipes until   April,  30, 2014  to replace them with galvanized steel masts.

The General Manager, Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (UFRU), Mr. Joe Igbokwe, issued the deadline Tuesday in Lagos after the early morning rainstorm last Sunday that , pulled down several communication masts, which destroyed buildings and cars worth billions of Naira.

He said that after the April 30 deadlines, the UFRU would commence dismantling and evacuation of all hollow-pipe masts in the state, while their owners would take full responsibility for the cost of such dismantling and evacuation.

The areas mostly affected, according to him, were Gbagada, Ojuelegba, Kirikiri in Apapa, Apapa-Oshodi Express Way, Ilupeju, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Surulere, and Alaba International Market.

MTN, Visafone, Reltel, Diamond Bank, Union Bank, Addoser Microfinance Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, Brain & Brace Security and 13 other unknown operators that were detected immediately after the windstorm, according to him were affected. Igbokwe  noted that  although the affected MTN mast was made with galvanized steel, it was erected on the top of a building and not properly fitted.

“After we must have removed all hollow-pipe masts in the state, their owners must replace them with galvanised steel masts, if they so wish to do so.”, he said.
He also warned all operators using towers and masts to comply with the Lagos State infrastructure laws, or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.

Even though no life was lost during the latest incident, the torrential rainfall, accompanied by heavy windstorms brought down trees and mostly hollow-pipe masts belonging to telecommunications companies and banks. Igbokwe, while giving details of the damage said the havoc would have been more, if not for the timely intervention of UFRU in sensitizsing mast owners.

According to him, the agency had in the past dismantled several masts belonging to banks and insurance companies that were threats to lives and property in the state.

Narrating the incident further, he said that the windstorm was so severe that it pulled down roof tops, trees, houses, electric poles, and sign-posts worth billions of naira. Attributing the damage to the weakness of hollow-pipe masts.

Igbokwe said that most banks and insurance companies had refused to obey the laws of the state, which seek to save life and property of people of Lagos.