The Government says it has not been forced into lifting the ban on the siting of masts by telecommunication companies. Nigeria telecommunication giants, Glo had threatened to quit Ghana accusing government agencies of frustrating them unnecessarily. They cited among other things the ban on the siting of masts which they said is crucial in their operations. The Environment Ministry lifted the ban after completing new guidelines but critics say that is a knee-jerk reaction. Speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah on Wednesday, the Communication Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the ban has been lifted after sanity was injected into the siting of masts. The telecommunication companies, he chided, are in needless competition as to who has the tallest mast, adding "that is unnecessary if they can share the infrastructure,” he said. “The final adoption of the guideline and the lifting of the ban is not a knee-jerk response to what purportedly was alleged by Globacom,” he emphasized. Under the new guidelines, the ministry is encouraging a mandatory collocation which will ensure that telecommunication companies share single masts. The guidelines also stipulate that no masts will be sited close to schools and a breach attracts a penalty of GH¢20,000. Mr Iddrissu said thorough consultations must be done especially with the community involved before the masts are put up. Even though researchers have not established direct correlation between the siting of the mast and its associated health hazards the ministry, he said cannot take chances especially when children under five are involved. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com