Stakeholders from relevant organizations have met in Abuja to discuss the draft regulations on Nigerian Uranium Exploration, Mining and Processing. The draft regulations prepared by a Technical Advisory Committee set-up by the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA, and chaired by Professor Idris Isa Funtua, were recently circulated to all major stakeholders for their comments. This meeting is therefore considered significant because it will harmonize the comments and recommendations from these stakeholders and produce a final draft which will be submitted through the Governing Board of the NNRA to the President for approval and gazetting.
The NNRA has already received applications for licences for exploration, mining and milling of Uranium Ores. Section 4 (2) of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act of 1995 empowers the NNRA to regulate the exploration, mining as well as milling of radioactive ores and other ores associated with the presence of radioactive substances. Apart from being covered by the Act, these activities are also covered by the Treaty on Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, NPT, and the Additional Protocol to the NPT between Nigeria and the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA.
STAKEHOLDERS AT THE MEETING
The stakeholders were drawn from diverse organisations like the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Zaria, Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency, NESREA, security agencies, Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and the universities.
THE STAKEHOLDERS AT WORK
The regulations, when in force, should apply in addition to the Nigeria Basic Ionizing Radiation Regulations 2003, Nigerian Radioactive Waste Management Regulations 2006, Nigerian Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Regulations 2008 and all other related regulations by the NNRA.
NNRA DG, PROF. S. B. ELEGBA, ADDRESSING THE MEETING
THE STAKEHOLDERS IN A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH AFTER THE MEETING
It was recommended under the draft regulations that any person engaged in mining, milling, processing or handling of Uranium Ore or prescribed substances that can be extracted therefrom in Nigeria without obtaining a licence from the NNRA shall, within a period of 90 days, make an application in the prescribed form to the NNRA for the issue of requisite licence. Before commencement of any stage of an operation to which the regulations apply, the operator must obtain approval for the appropriate Radiation Management Plan and Radioactive Waste Management Plan. An operator, under the regulations, shall also not commence any form of rehabilitation, decommissioning, or make significant changes to the mine without authorization from NNRA. The operator shall also report any lost or stolen radioactive material to NNRA within 48 hours.
An operator who commits any of the above offences or wilfully obstructs an NNRA inspector in the exercise of his duties, under the regulations, commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than 50,000 Naira and not more than 1,000,000 Naira or liable to imprisonment for a term not less than two years and not more than 10 years or both fine and imprisonment. And for a corporate body, a minimum of 100,000 Naira and not more than 3,000,000 Naira.
