Onyebuchi Ezigbo
30 June 2008
Abuja — Nigeria's nuclear programme is causing concern among the world's Group of Eight (G8) nations, THISDAY has learnt.
The G8 - comprising world's most industrialised democracies, the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Japan, Russia, Italy, France, Germany and Canada - is worried about Nigeria's ability to handle the safety and security obligations associated with use of nuclear technology.
The US has been leading the campaign against uranium enrichment for nuclear technology by Iran and North Korea, and although Nigeria's nuclear programme is purely for power generation, the G8 nations are said to be uncomfortable with it.
Confirming this to THISDAY, the Director-General of the Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA), Professor Shamsedeen Elegba, said the G8 countries had expressed their concerns over the country's readiness to fulfil safety and security obligations associated with the establishment of nuclear power plant in the country.
The D-G, who spoke to THISDAY at the end of a week-long capacity training programme on nuclear energy safety issues, said though the countries agreed that Nigeria needed nuclear power plant for electricity purposes, the concerns are whether the country could adequately ensure safe and secure deployment of the facility.
"Most of them are cynical about our level of safety and some even question our level of responsibility because it is something that just one little mistake, everybody is affected," he said.
In April 1986, there was a nuclear reactor accident in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the old Soviet Union, regarded as the worst in history, resulting in a severe release of radioactivity into the environment following a massive power excursion which destroyed the reactor.
Thirty people died in the explosion, but further explosions and the resulting fire sent a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere and over an extensive geographical area, including western Soviet Union, Europe and as far as eastern North America.
Large areas in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia were highly contaminated, leading to the evacuation and resettlement of over 336,000 people.
The 2005 report prepared by the Chernobyl Forum, led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and World Health Organisation (WHO), attributed 56 direct deaths - 47 accident workers, and nine children with thyroid cancer - and estimated 4,000 extra deaths due to cancer among the approximately 600,000 most highly exposed and 5,000 among the six million living nearby.
Speaking on whether the reservation expressed by the world powers would affect Nigeria's nuclear energy ambition, Elegga said they were only concerned about safety issues which the country was trying hard to address.
"What everybody is worried about is the level of safety because the nuclear industry is highly regulated, just like the aviation sector. It is highly regulated because one accident is too many and therefore everybody is particularly worried about our levels of preparedness, especially the regulatory authorities. They want to be sure that all uses, whether within the country or being transported in and out of the country, are appropriately provided for in terms of safety," he said.
Elegba said Nigeria had made significant progress in the area of safety efforts, adding that the country had ratified the convention on nuclear safety which meant that "we are bound to comply with all the requirements for safety of nuclear installations in the country. We are also a party to the convention of physical protection of nuclear materials and installation which makes it mandatory on us".
He said Nigeria was also reviewing her laws to make sure that adequate resources were made available to ensure safety and security of nuclear materials in the country.
The D-G said the target date for establishment of nuclear power plant would be determined after an agreement on the supply of the reactor had been reached with the producers.
"It is after an agreement has been signed with suppliers of nuclear reactors that NNRA can be in a position to issue licence as to where the plant can be sited as well as the design of the building," he said.
According to him, part of the role of NNRA was to also issue licence for the commissioning and decommissioning of the nuclear power plant.
He said the lifespan of most nuclear power plants is usually 50 years, and the authority is empowered to ensure that adequate preparations are made on how to dismantle the nuclear facility at expiration.
The licence would stipulate among other conditions how to manage the radioactive wastes that come with it.
The D-G said the training programme was meant for front line officers from the various security organisations on safety and security of radioactive and nuclear materials.
Elegba explained that owing to the general concern on nuclear safety, NNRA was emphasising the need to have a Memorandum of Understanding with participating agencies so as to facilitate the integration of safety programmes into the curriculum of various training courses.
"We are working with the security agencies and organisations over the past seven years to ensure that radioactive sources imported, used or transported within the country are kept safe. One of the responsibilities of NNRA is to help improve the competencies of these security organisations," he said.
He said the first step was to provide them with adequate monitoring tools and then to have an MoU signed between them and NNRA, so that at the end of the day, nuclear safety would be part of the topics to be covered by the agencies in their training schools.
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Well,
I would not mind being the voice that cries out in the wilderness on this issue. The idea of an electro-nuclear programme is a very bad one at this stage in our development. Again, those proposing this idea should BEWARE. WE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE TROUBLE THAN WE CAN HANDLE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. OGA YAR'ADUA, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT DO THIS. AT THIS STAGE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT, IT IS VERY UNSAFE. IT IS LIKE A CHILD PLAYING WITH FIRE. I HAVE HEARD THE IGBOS QUOTE THE WORDS OF THE CHICK CAPTURED BY A KITE: "I AM CRYING OUT NOT THAT WHAT IS HOLDING ME WOULD RELEASE ME, BUT THAT MY VOICE MAY BE A WARNING TO THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD ME OF WHAT MAY BECOME OF THEM." I KNOW THIS GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO LISTEN, BUT LET IT NOT BE SAID THAT NO ONE SPOKE OUT, WHEN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DECISION COME HOME TO ROOST!! AGAIN, IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, OLORUN OLODUMARE, CHUKWU, GOD ALMIGHTY, AND THE GODS OF ALL OUR NIGERIAN ANCESTORS, DO NOT DO THIS, I PRAY AND BEG YOU. WHERE THE HECK IS TAI SOLARIN WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
Hey buddy, relax. You drink too much palm wine too much. Or is too much okra u na chop?
There was a time that whisky was said to be too strong for the mind of the African native.
Some may think that driving a car is too dangerous for the African.
Have no fear: Nigeria will not call upon you to design a nuclear plant for the people. There are many Nigerians/Africans well-versed in that area. Some even teach nuclear engineering design courses in leading western universities and some in Nigeria's diaspora work in the area.
Tell us this, yeye man - what proportion of Americans or Europeans really know how nuclear energy is produced? How many can design a nuclear power generating plant? [Hint: Don't pick a figure greater that 1%]
At the risk of being provocative it must be said that Kessyjc is an articulate voice of the 'Africa and Africans' of yesteryear,and gives expression to the fears doubts insecurities and complexes of a 'colonilized mindset'He inhabits a world in which we Africans are persuaded that we are incapable of addressing our needs or running our own affairs without guidance from others and that we have some unique flaw which somehow prevents us from commanding and directing our own destiny....And it is this distorted and warped perception that the process of our mental, Cultural Political and economic decolinzation must address. The drive by nigeria to ensure energy security on our terms is but the first, albeit, significant step in taking 'Authoritative Command of our destiny'..... Of course we must and will go nuclear. The development and deployment of nuclear energy and power is but one of the strands in the complex tapestry of 'our energy security objectives' which in turn, feeds directly into the process of 'Transforming our 'Peoples and Lands'. We Africans of today know that this is our moment, we are at a critical and seminal juncture in our History and I am proud that Nigeria, the other nations of Africa and the AU are begining to assume responsibility for the destiny of 'our Continent, Our Lands and Our Peoples' As Always 'The Zima'W3
Neither should we always use the "either/or" reasoning everytime anyone questions us.We Africans are able to do many things but we resort to the cheap "colonization excuse" when confronted with challenges. Nigeria as a giant in Africa has squandered so many opportunities in the past that it's quite reasonable to question its ability to manage a nuclear program.For instance, with all its oil and other natural resources,Nigeria is neither able to secure them nor provide refinery capacity to the west african market and as a result we import refined oil. You need to convince us that if you can't do little,you will be up to greater challenges such as nuclear power. Corruption is another story...
Jesus and John the Baptizer also did not know what the heck they were talking about. In the eyes of some of their fellows they were crazy. According to the Christians, the same things happened to the prophets sent to warn Israel, and, of course, also to Socrates.
But, my fellows, history proved all of them--these crazies--right. Of course, it is only time that will tell who is right, but, Ogun knows that, by then, it would be too late to turn back the tide.
And Sorry chokro, I no dey drink anything wey de enter for head and for eye; so derefore, I no be yeye an'I no be drinkard. Besides, ewedu and amala--not okro-are my preferences.
for ZIM 4, I am not a colonialist, nor do I have any inkling of what may be called a colonialist ideology. I also do not suffer from paranoia.
My Igbo friends translated some lines of a music from the great Mike Ejeagha for me. They said it goes this way in English: The ram once called his children and asked them how many times it would take them to learn from experience. The wise one answered that he learns not from what has happened to him alone but from what has happened to others. It is only those who do not know the history of electro-nuclear programmes in other countries that would be basking in the luxury of "you drink too much pammy" and "you be colonialist."
Remember when Dr. Idika kalu (I hope I have the right person) told the powers that be that Nigeria was not in a position to try the kind of economic ideology that Nigerian celebrated economists thought would change our sinking economy? They called him crazy. They said he has colonial mentality. IMF wondered at what Nigeria was up to and we dismissed IMF as holding us back. It only took three months for Babangida and all of Nigeria to know that Kalu Idika Kalu was right. What was the result of what we did? Our economy was completely broke in one single swoop and we are still paying for that mistake today. So call me whatever name you choose, it is only time and history that will tell in this regard.
We have other sources of energy that have not been tapped. These are cheaper, safer, and within our own reach, yet we have not even explored them.
WE ARE NOW IN THE NUCLEAR AGE,AND WE CANNOT ISOLATE NIGERIA.WHY ARE THE G8 WORRIED ABOUT OUR OPTING FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY? THE GOVT HAS SELECTED 13 UNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO STUDY THE NUCLEAR OPTION.THIS IS THE TREND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.ALL OF THE G8 NATIONS HAVE THE NUCLEAR ENERGY TO SUPPORT THEIR ENERGY PROGRAMS WHY CAN"T WE DO THE SAME?.AFTER ALL,WHEN USA STARTED THEIR NUCLEAR OPTION THEY HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE.IT WAS ONLY ONE UNIVERSITY (COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY) THAT DID THE STUDY FOR THEM.IN OUR CASE.WE HAVE !3UNIVERSITIES DOING THE STUDY.WITH THE CLIMATE WARMING,EMPHASIS IS NOW SHIFTING TO NUCLEAR,AND SOLAR ENERGIES,AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TREND.
The basic difficulty of discussing anything about Nigeria here on the Web is the want of expertise on the part of those who contribute. Most views tend to be more emotively inclined. Would that there would be some honest to God scholarly discussions on issues that affect our country-- with the facts presented--so that those who think they have something to say would know the very reasons behind arguments that are being made and judge arguments on their values and merits--based on known or projected facts. As it is, having any sensible discussion on these pages is like trying to convince my illiterate grand father who has been watching Zebrudaya all his life that Brady Pitts is a better known actor (internationally) than Jegede Sokoya.
Please, Mr. President Yar'adua, when you think about building nuclear plants, do not forget to build one in Katsina and in the villages of all the people who have supported it here. If at all you can read this and happen to understand English, please, do not bring it anywhere close to my home state or region.
As someone said in these pages in the past, worrying about Nigeria can make one forget that he has other important obligations--like wife and children--to attend to.
I surrender and hang my pen. God bless our dear country!!
Nigeria has no need at this sate of our development, to pursue energy from nuclear sources. Our vast gas reserves, coupled with Associated gas from oil drilling is enough to meet not only our electricity needs, but the entire West Africa sub-region. In fact, we flare over two billion cubic feet of gas daily. Recently, President of Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi at the NGA's 2nd quarter business forum in Abuja, said that Nigeria lost about $72 billion to gas flaring at an average of $2.5 billion per annum between 1970 and 2006. If we cannot tap the vast gas resources by investing in a controlled combustion in gas turbine to generate electricity, how can we control the radioactive ingredients in nuclear power plant? In spite of all the technological advances in the USA, they have not built any new nuclear power plant close to 3 decades now. And If Obama wins, the prospect of building any will not materialize for now. If any one is in doubt of the dangers of nuclear waste, google what is happening to nuclear wastes France generates or go to www.greenpeace.org.