The Lagos State government, through the Urban
Furniture Regulatory Unit,UFRU, has once again
rolled out a new set of standards for the
installation of communications masts in the
state.
UFRU is the Lagos Government Agency, under
the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban
Development that is responsible for the
regulation of masts installation in the state.
This time around, Lagos may not be targeting
the telecommunications companies with the new
standards but Internet services Providers, Banks
and other financial institutions. The agency
admitted that although telecom operators are
the highest deployers of masts in the state, the
new standards may not affect them because
their masts comply with international standards,
approved specifications and quality of steel
materials.
It however revealed that those that may be
mainly affected included the banks, Internet
Service Providers (ISPs), and other Small and
Medium Enterprises, SMEs, that are using
communication masts for their businesses.
Reeling out the new standards to bank officials
in Lagos recently, General Manager of the
agency, Mr. Joe Igbokwe warned that
henceforth, all communication masts in the
state not erected with galvanized steel materials
and not between 30 metres and 50 metres high,
contravenes the new standard.
He stated that the galvanized steel material
replaces the hollow pipes that was hither to
used by banks and ISPs in installing masts in the
state.
Igbokwe also noted that the new standards
became imperative because of the coastal
nature of Lagos and the global climate change.
According to him, “the state government had
since discovered that hollow pipes have little
resistance to strong wind and other weather
conditions like rain and sun, thus giving way
easily to the slightest wind. This has resulted in
collapse of several masts that have killed several
people and destroyed property worth billions of
naira in the state.
“All hollow pipe type of masts must be removed
and replaced with galvanized steel that has the
shape of a pyramid. We will not accept re-
painting of masts, but a complete evacuation of
hollow pipe masts, and the evacuation must
start now,” Igbokwe warned.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/lagos-govt-lists-new-standards-for-masts/