The Nigerian Nuclear Security Committee has ordered the closure of the Centre for Energy Research and Development, CERD, Ile-Ife for not bringing the operation of its 1.7 MeV Tandem Accelerator under full regulatory control by the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA). This comes after the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum given to CERD to complete the authorization process for its Tandem Accelerator which it uses for research and sample analysis. The NNRA specifically asked CERD to, amongst other things, provide Acceptance and Commissioning reports that must include Leak test and other tests carried out during commissioning; provide copies of Calibration Certificates for its Survey meters using the National Secondary Standard Dosimetry of the National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research, Ibadan; provide Acceptance tests duly signed by the manufacturer and CERD showing that the equipment was properly installed according to the manufacturer’s specification as well as Commissioning reports showing functionality of the Accelerator and radiation level during operation. Its continued use of the facility after the ultimatum was in contravention of sections 6, 15 and 37 of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act No. 19 of 1995.
THE COMMITTEE BEING ADDRESSED BY DG, NNRA, PROF S. B. ELEBGA
MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIAN NUCLEAR SECURITY COMMITTEE AT WORK
The Committee also ordered the suspension of activities at the Linear Accelerator in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City. The hospital was also ordered to properly register the premises housing the Linear Accelerator. Furthermore, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, has been given 90 days to re-calibrate its Radiation Monitoring meters and take necessary steps to renew the operating licence for its Linear Accelerator which expired on 31 December, 2008.
A private outfit, OilData Wireline Services limited, Port Harcourt, which certificate of Registration and Licence to Use Ionizing Radiation expired on 31 December, 2004, but has six radioactive sources stored in its premises without a valid licence, was also discussed. The Committee ordered that these be further investigated.
The Committee also directed that all necessary steps be taken to ensure that the building of a Low and Intermediate Radioactive Waste Management Facility by the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, be carried out in strict compliance with the law as well as its proposed building of a 7 mw research reactor. This is important, the Committee noted, because all such activities must be declared by the NNRA to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT, which Nigeria signed in 1968 and the Additional Protocol to the NPT which the country signed in 2007.
The Nigerian Nuclear Security Committee is made-up of the Chief of Defence Staff, the State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Police, Customs, Immigration and Federal Ministries of Justice, Health, Foreign Affairs, and Petroleum. It ensures that the nation’s security interests in the nuclear industry are protected at all times.
