Essay on the Need to Adopt Mobile Policy Handbook

1. THE NEED FOR ADOPTION OF MOBILE POLICY
HANDBOOK IN NIGERIA
BY ARAZIM SHEU
Following the effort of the GSMA to promote collaboration with
Governments and telecommunications regulators by assembles a range of
policy topics, mobile industry positions and initiatives that eventually led to
the introduction of the Mobile Policy Handbook for the telecom industry. It
is germane to note that very few people know about this development, talk
more about the need to have and peruse a relevant document in the
telecommunication parlance.
Putting into cognizance the rate of illiteracy rate of Nigerians, research by
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
conducted at the inception of 2017 reveals that out of the over 190 million
Nigerians, 65 million of the population are illiterate, this gives clear
indication that greater percentage of the citizenry are literate. This poses
great hope that the need for the adoption of a mobile policy handbook in
Nigeria will do more good to Nigeria as a nation and it will be instrumental
towards decreasing the ample percentages of people who alleged to have
been harmed by mobile devices and other telecommunication gadgets in
time past.
The cliché ‘an individual is subjected to what he does not know’ is still
prevalent in this age as technological innovations and development is
increasing at an alarming rate on daily basis which harbingers the need for
the adoption of Mobile Policy handbook or develop a new mobile policy for
Nigerians. The need for this adoption cannot be overemphasized as it will
help to intimate phone users and public on compliance policy, the
information on Radio Frequency (RF) exposure limits for workers and
public including the children to avoid hazardous instances, the types of
mobile devices that should be avoided for usage {Non-typed approved
handset} etcetera.
Conversely, Mobile phones are great asset to human, it has been helpful in
our means of daily communication; helping to go as far as possible without
moving an inch. Apart from the fact that mobile phones help human
communicate, they are also capable of reducing human stress in the aspect
of searching for information. For the very fact that operating a mobile
phone does not require enrolling for a course in schools or attend a
seminar.

2. Mobile phones has been designed in such ways that different category of
individual will eventually have a type of mobile phone(s) that fit him/her in
terms of its size, price, capacity, functions and sensitivity. In other words
mobile phones was not mainly designed for the elites or literate alone.
Illiterate use them, children are not left out in most cases.
Radiation from mobile phones belongs to the Non-Ionizing radiation on the
Electromagnetic spectrum. Non-Ionizing radiation is harmless does not
carry enough energy that can damage internal tissues, it embitters the
heart that very few people making the population of Nigeria knows about
this development, thus, the need for the adoption of Mobile Phone Policy
handbook is expedient.
Reasoning out of who mobile phones were designed for, how it was
designed and how it operates are also essential to know, be it in a simplified
way, but most individuals are very much ignorant about this {All phone
users care about is operating a phone}.
Majority of phone users are not ignorant but due to mal-information they
accept wrong information as well as going ahead to pollute others with the
same information, while some individuals cook up wrong information
about mobile phones just for pecuniary gains.
When talking about how mobile phones were designed and how it
operates, it should be noted that no one is expecting phone users to know
how to manufacture/ build-up a mobile phone but the expectations should
be in terms of understanding the nitty-gritty of phone usage and other
related issues.
In Nigeria, as a result of different knowledge, perceptions, motive, mind-
set pertaining to mobile phones {be it positive/ negative, true/false} several
information about mobile phones have been diffused into the society by
individuals who know little or nothing about Telecommunication gadgets
and other devices. This is a justifiable reason for the adoption of the mobile
Policy handbook in Nigeria as the most populous African Country.
In furtherance to the call for this adoption, it is crystal clear that citizens of
most developed nations of the world understands and have clear hunch
about mobile policy handbooks, the call for adoption of this is sacrosanct
as it will help to ensure compliance limit by operators, eradicate false
information, kill the interest of those with pecuniary gain, reducing the
level of illiteracy in terms of mobile phones and the assurance of the fact
that Information contained in the handbook are adopted by recognised
and approved sources (WHO EMF Project) among others.

3. A handbook has to be published and recommended for mobile phone users
aside the mobile phone guide that comes along with a new phone which
explains how to use the phone specifically. The handbook draws on the
association’s insight into the mobile sector and presents it in a practical way
for those who want to explore the issues and unleash the value of mobile
technology in their own market.
Beyond adoption, there should be a policy that will support distribution of
hard and soft copy of the handbook so as to make information’s accessible
to the general public, simplified in several languages to ensure popular
readability.
If information about mobile devices has to be an undiluted one to users
especially to the ignorant and illiterate, then there should be a handbook
to enlighten and educate phone users in other to eradicate false
information about the subject matter. A sieved handbook, ensuring only
facts and truths from reliable sources and stakeholders like World Health
Organization (WHO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU),
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), International
Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), Global System
for Mobile Communication Association (GSMA), International Organisation
for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
who has made researches to know and clearly stated their harmonized
position on the subject matter in the handbook.
The modification or development of the policies in Nigeria must be
harmonised with international exposure limits, it must avoid generating
concerns or simulating the public in a negative front. Also, unconfirmed
reports should be debunked and trust should be restored in the public
concerning the usage of telecom devices (RF antennas, radios mobile
phones and so on.
The need for the adoption of Mobile Phone Policy Handbook in Nigeria is
inexcusable. It will help to intimate and sensitize phone users about all they
need to know in the industry.