By Aderogba George
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have urged the Federal Government to explore nuclear energy as a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s power supply challenges and economic growth.
Mr Ofomhi Christopher, Executive Director of Integrity Advocacy for Development Initiative (IADI), made the call at a two-day sensitisation workshop and strategic interface between CSOs and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) in Abuja.
The workshop, themed: “X-raying the Challenges, Achievements and Prospects of the NNRA in Solving Nigeria’s Energy Problems,” was organised by IADI and the Civil Society Group for Good Governance (CSGGG), with support from the NNRA.
Christopher said the theme was timely and critical, considering Nigeria’s urgent need to diversify its energy sources and ensure sustainable, safe and efficient energy solutions for national development.
According to him, the NNRA plays a key role in safeguarding public health and the environment while supporting Nigeria’s long-term energy aspirations.
He added that CSOs also had an important role in promoting transparency, accountability and public engagement, especially in sensitive sectors such as nuclear energy.
“We can benefit a lot from nuclear resources, especially by generating additional energy to serve Nigeria.
“We heard from a representative of the Intergovernmental organisation that efforts are ongoing toward establishing a nuclear energy plant.
“By the time that comes on board, it will help address, to some extent, the power supply challenges facing the country,” he said.
Christopher noted that Nigeria had struggled to achieve stable electricity supply through the national grid, citing repeated incidents of grid collapse.
“Let us also look at another angle and see whether nuclear energy can complement existing sources of power generation.
“One of the major challenges, however, is funding, and we want the government to do its best in supporting the NNRA and atomic energy initiatives,” he said.
He said CSOs would continue to engage government through advocacy and formal communication to support the development of nuclear power in the country.
Also speaking, Mr Opkanachi Jacob, Convener of the Social Transparency and Youth Leadership Advancement Initiative, commended the NNRA for its efforts in delivering on its mandate.
Jacob urged the government to embrace modern technology in order to keep pace with global advancements.
“The world is advancing rapidly and we must catch up with global trends instead of struggling to learn what others have already mastered.
“We are in the internet age where speed is essential, and we must align with global best practices to achieve our developmental goals,” he said.
Similarly, Mr John Adamu, Head of Legal and International Cooperation at the NNRA, explained that nuclear energy had both power and non-power applications.
According to him, the Federal Government remains committed to harnessing nuclear technology for electricity generation.
“That is where the issue of establishing a nuclear power plant comes in.
“The promotion of nuclear power development is handled by our sister organisation, the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission.
“But as regulators, our responsibility is to ensure that all safety and security regulations are developed and implemented in line with government commitments,” he said.
Adamu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had recently approved a key regulation, which was gazetted last week.
“It is called the Nigerian Design and Construction of Nuclear Installation Regulation.
“So any nuclear installation must comply with the approved standards,” he said.
He assured stakeholders that the NNRA would continue to discharge its responsibilities in line with its statutory mandate. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
Edited by Tosin Kolade
