The government of Somaliland has ordered the immediate removal of all mobile towers from the breakaway country’s capital city.
A directive signed by Dr. Abdiweli Abdilahi Sufi, the Minister of Telecommunications, ordered stakeholders to remove all mobile towers in Hargeisa.
Under the new directive, there are to be no mobile towers in residential areas in the nation’s capital.
Dr. Sufi issued this directive following a meeting with members of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs.
According to the telecommunications ministry, the capital is home to over 220 mobile towers.
The ministry is of the opinion that the number of mobile towers is excessively high.
Further, the minister said that a recent edict revoking the licenses of all telecom service providers was designed to reform the entire process.
He told the parliamentary committee that the telecoms industry needs upgrading.
Sufi said that some players in the industry obtained their licenses 20 years ago hence the need to reapply to ensure that they meet the new requirements.