Neglect of personnel of Nigeria’s nuclear centres recipe for disaster – Reps

The House of Representatives has said the neglect of scientists and personnel working at Nigeria’s Nuclear Centres is a recipe for disaster that could lead to adverse incidents that would jeopardise the security of the nation.

The Chairman,  House Committee on Renewable Energy, Rep. Afam Victor Ogene, stated this when the committee met with the representatives of the country’s two nuclear centres at the National Assembly on Thursday.

The meeting was in continuation of the investigation into why the hazard and high-risk allowances approved for the scientists in the two centres were withheld by the Budget Office but allegedly, paid to civil servants in the employ of Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Abuja.

The two centres in question are the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife.

He said there are growing concerns about the lingering issue of non-payment of approved hazard and high-risk allowances to the personnel and nuclear scientists managing Nigeria’s nuclear research centres.

Rep. Ogene assured them that the parliament is working towards ensuring that the Budget Office of the Federation grants the two centres financial autonomy through separate budget lines for effective and efficient discharge of their mandate.

Earlier, representatives of the centres, Prof. Ganiyu I. Balogun,  Prof. J.F.K Akinbami, Dr Bashir M. Umar and Dr M.B Katif, who spoke separately explained that the centres have been facing challenges which they have been managing to avert nuclear incidents that could lead to serious international embarrassment.