Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority

ECOWAS AMBASSADORS IN NIGERIA HOLD WORKSHOP ON NUCLEAR SECURITY

Ambassadors from countries in the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, met in Abuja to discuss nuclear security and how best to protect the sub-region from hazards and threats from illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials. The meeting, which was declared open by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Ohomoibhi, comes before a technical workshop on the subject by nuclear experts in the sub-region in two weeks time. He said the meeting is important, describing it as a diplomatic complement to the meetings at other levels by ECOWAS Heads of State and Foreign Affairs Ministers. He said Nigeria is an advocate of a nuclear safe world and signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT, as far back as 1968 and the Pelindaba Treaty making Africa a nuclear weapon-free zone. Ambassador Ohomoibhi said although the chance of nuclear terrorism in West Africa is low, it is not impossible, and as such the diplomats should be interested in how to stop any possible illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials in the sub-region. He said imported small arms and light weapons already pose a serious problem in West Africa and those involved may not hesitate to go nuclear if they can.

BELOW:Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (centre) Speaking at the Workshop

Ambassador Maria Olaose, Director, International Organisation Department, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Nigeria is the only country from West Africa that was invited for the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC in April, 2010. She said the ministry will use the forum of the workshop to invite all ECOWAS countries to forge closer ties on matters of nuclear security.

Ambassador Olaose speaking at the Workshop

The Director-General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA, Professor Shamsideen Elegba, asked the ambassadors not to see nuclear technology as completely new to the sub-region as two countries, Nigeria and Ghana, already have Research Reactors using Highly Enriched Uranium, which is of bomb-making quality, though plans are on to adapt them to use Low Enriched Uranium. This is in addition to several other radioactive sources used in radiotherapy, petroleum industry, manufacturing and agriculture in the sub-region. He said ionizing radiation is used in the ECOWAS sub-region more than is usually acknowledged and gave the example of the West African gas pipeline which integrity is to be checked using a radioactive source.

He said nuclear safety and security should be everyone’s concern because in the world today, one does not only need a nuclear bomb to cause nuclear havoc. This is because a “dirty bomb” can be made from stolen nuclear or radioactive materials. He said Nigeria has commenced the installation of Radiation Portal Monitors in all major airports and seaports in the country and these are being linked-up in a network to check illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials. Plans are on, he said, to do same in all import terminals in the country. He advocated a strong nuclear regulatory body and appropriate legislation in each ECOWAS country for proper nuclear security and safety monitoring, adding that it will not be correct to think that the sub-region is immune to nuclear terrorism.

Prof Elegba (left) Speaking at the Workshop

The ambassadors regretted that only four African countries were invited to the first Nuclear Security Summit last year in Washington DC. The Gambian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Angela Colley, said leaders of legislative houses should be involved in the Nuclear Security Workshop in ECOWAS because many member states do not have adequate laws to regulate nuclear safety.

Cross-section of the Ambassadors at the Workshop with Ambassador Maria Colley, Gambian High Commissioner to Nigeria, in front

The Commissioner, International Cooperation, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, Dr Imoh Obioh, said though nuclear materials in ECOWAS are not as much as they may be in some other parts of the world, information sharing on nuclear matters is still important in the sub-region. He said NAEC, as nuclear promoter in Nigeria, is committed to the highest nuclear safety standards and will adhere to them in deploying Nuclear Power Plants for electricity generation.

Dr Imoh Obioh Speaking at the Workshop

He also expressed confidence in the regulatory capabilities of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA.