John Abayomi
29 June 2008
DIRECTOR general ofthe Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Babatunde Shamshideen Elegba, has disclosed that the only obstacle hindering the installation of nuclear plant in Nigeria is fear of its security and safety.
Speaking at a national training course on nuclear security and radiation safety for frontline officers, organized by NNRA and the International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna Austria in Abuja, the director-general also said that until there is agreement on the level of safety of the radiation between the seller and the buyer, Nigeria will not be fit to have the plant.
According to him, Nigeria has ratified the convention on nuclear safety, but need to prove the level of its safety in the country, before the plant can be established, adding that his agency is putting all structure in place to ensure that the national dream of nuclear energy will be realized. Safety and security of this country belong to all of us. We can only provide the basic information for our frontline officers to improve on what is already on ground. It is believed that Nigeria is not safe enough to have nuclear plant.
Everybody believes that this country needs it to improve on its energy through this plant. We even have understanding with France on nuclear programme, but there is fear about the safety of the plant.
Nigeria will be due to have nuclear plant when there is agreement signed between the buyer and the seller of radiation plant. Members of G8 are worried over this, especially on the level of our regulatory authority. Since Nigeria has ratified the convention, it becomes mandatory for it to have the plant installed, but until are the safety is ensured, we may not get there, he stressed.
The NNRA boss also said that Nigeria need about 25-30,000 mega electricity plant for it to achieve vision 2020, adding that at the moment it ahs only 3,000 mega watt at Mambilla hydro plant in Taraba.
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