Chinyere Amalu
19 November 2008
Abuja — The United States government has handed over nuclear radiation detection equipment worth of $120,000.000 to the Nigeria government for monitoring and safeguarding radioactive materials.
Handing over the equipment on behalf of her government, yesterday in Abuja, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders said they are pleased to partner with the people and government of Nigeria to assist the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority and other agencies in building the necessary professio-nal and institutional capacity that will ensure that radioactive nuclear materials are used safely and secured.
According to her, on May 26, 2004, the USA established the Global Threat Reduction Search and secure project to train nuclear regulatory agencies, such as the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, to locate, identify, and protect abandoned radioactive sources.
"So far, this project has benefited 23 nations and I am very pleased that by taking part in this training programme, Nigeria has become a member of this select group.
"On behalf of the people and government of the United States of America, it gives me great pleasure to handover to the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority this nuclear radiation detection equipment," he said.
In his address the Director-General of Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Professor Shamsudeen Elegba, said that all radioactive sources used in Nigeria are imported mainly from the G8 and other countries.
He said that his agency would in 2009 require all the existing importers of radioactive sources, especially in petroleum industry, to declare names and addresses of their previous warehouses and storage facilities so that a verified inventory exercise could be carried out at such locations.
"NNRA on its part will continue to vigorously pursue its strategic partnership with various security organizations in the areas of training and sharing of information," he stated.
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