The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has given an indication that his ministry is already making efforts to generate electricity from nuclear materials, particularly through the exploration, exploitation and utilization of uranium.
He said that his ministry has invited experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct a one-week training for nuclear practitioners as well as security officers in the country on the extraction, exploitation and utilization of the substance.
The minister, who spoke at the opening ceremony for the national training course on nuclear security for the uranium extraction industry in Abuja, stressed the need for Nigeria to exploit available resources to meet her power needs.
Fayemi, who was represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry, Mr. Wuyep Karnap, said: “last week at the National Council on Power conference in Kaduna, the issue of uranium for power generation was actually canvassed as a vital component in the energy mix equation.
“So, this training is coming at the right time where capacity to explore, exploit and utilize uranium for power generation and other uses cannot be overemphasized. And apart from the exploration, exploitation and utilization, the security and health aspects of uranium need to be taken care of, and that is why we have security delegates here.” [myad]
