Tema, Feb 4, GNA - The Bureau of Public Health Safety and Environment, a non-governmental organisation, has commended the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) for taking the bull by the horn by temporary suspending the erection of mobile telecommunication masts across the country.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr Davidson Akwada, praised MEST for setting up an inter-secto= r committee to consider ways of injecting sanity into the mounting of the masts. "It is no secret that this phenomena of indiscriminate mounting of s= uch communication towers and the blatant disregard of public health, safety a= nd environment, has given citizens in affected areas a lot of worries, some of which cases have been in court spanning several years with no ending in sight." it said.

The statement said it was the hope of the NGO that the inter-sector committee would be guided primarily by public health, safety and environmental interests in its considerations ahead of business/financial=

profit interest. The statement also drew the attention of MEST, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the various District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies, to other equally pressing issues of public health, safety and=

environment. It expressed concern about the location of heavy industrial faciliti= es in residential areas, open and indiscriminate burning in residential and commercial areas, noise from kiosk operators and churches, all of which p= ose public health, safety and environmental threats, hazards and challenges t= o life and property.