The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) has reinforced its collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force towards ensuring strict enforcement of nuclear safety and radiation protection regulations.
Director-General of the NNRA, Dr Yau Idris, who announced this during an interview with journalists on the sidelines of a workshop organized for staff of the organisation, noted that the mandate of the agency covered operations the oil and gas, health, education, excavation and construction among others where radio actives are utilised or researched upon.
He said that non-compliance by government entities remains a persistent problem, prompting the NNRA to strengthen collaboration with security agencies and other stakeholders.
Idris said that both the DSS and the police have pledged their support to ensure the NNRA carries out its statutory responsibilities effectively.
According to him; “Regulating public health institutions has proven more difficult than overseeing private facilities that are more willing to comply with regulatory standards.
“Our major challenge is regulating government facilities, particularly the hospitals. We find it very difficult to regulate the health sector.
“For the private sector, they are very easy to regulate. It is very easy for them to comply with our regulation because they are commercial entities.
“We held a meeting last week with the Department of State Services (DSS) and we are also working closely with the police bomb squad and the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure strict enforcement.
“In fact, the Minister of Health gave us a mandate that any hospital that is not complying with us, we should close down that hospital,” he said.
“The DSS and the police, they are ready to assist us to make sure we perform our duties. We have just started and now we are training.
“The authority has begun intensive capacity-building for its staff, including engaging external experts to improve regulatory competence.
“This time around, we are not going to take it lightly with anybody,” he said.
Idris therefore urged staff of the authority to uphold transparency and fairness in their dealings with licensees and to carry out their duties promptly and professionally to safeguard public safety in the use of nuclear and radiological facilities across the country.
In his remarks, Mr Tosin Abegunde, the Chairman, Petroleum Senior Staff Association of Nigeria NARA branch, commended the authority for the workshop, organised for members of staff.
Abegunde said that continuous learning was very important for members of staff to keep up with introduction of new technologies and the fast pace development in the nuclear industry.
