By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

The Senate has begun moves to give legal backing to the 46- year old Atomic Energy Commission in line with the realities of global dynamics.

This came during a Public Hearing on two bills yesterday in Abuja organised by Senator Uche Ekwunife, PDP, Anambra Central led Senate Committee on Science and Technology.

The bills are: the “Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) Act (Repeal and Reenactment) Bill 2022 and Nigerian Content in Programmes, Contracts, Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (Establishment) Bill, 2023”. 

The NAEC bill was sponsored by Sen. 

Emmanuel Orker-jev. PDP-Benue) while the Nigerian Content in Programmes, Contracts, Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation Bill was sponsored by Senator Sani Musa, APC, Niger East. 

In her welcome remarks, Ekwunife who noted  that the passage of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Act (repeal and reenactment) was crucial to the development of the science and technology sector, said that the act was enacted 46 years ago in 1976 adding that since then, there were no legislative steps taken to improve the commission in line with realities of global dynamics.

Ekwunife said “This Bill therefore seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Commission Act (CAP.N91) Laws of the Federation to streamline its provisions. 

“The Bill will make the commission cater for robust implementation of National Nuclear Programme in line with acceptable international standards in accordance with Nigeria’s obligation under relevant international legal instruments.”

The Senator who explained that the repeal of the act was not in any way intended for negative use of nuclear power such as armament, but mainly for peaceful purposes in the area of nuclear power, medical diagnoses and others, said, “The repeal also intends to make the commission develop the ways and technical machinery to effectively explore, exploit and harness atomic energy for peaceful applications and for sustainable national development.”

On the Nigerian Content in Programmes, Contracts, Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation Bill, Ekwunife said that it aimed at harnessing domestic talents and the development of indigenous capacity in science and technology.

Also speaking, Chairman, of NAEC, Prof. Yusuf Ahmed noted that the decision to embark on a nuclear programme in Nigeria represented a long-term commitment to safety,  however, said that the lack of requisite legal framework was a challenge that had greatly slowed the activities of the commission to be able to harness the potential of atomic energy.

Ahmed who urged the Senate to amend Section 2 of the NAEC bill which deals with the leadership structure of the commission, said, “This has been one of the major challenges in the implementation of the National Nuclear Energy Programme.”

On his part, Mr Festus Osifo, President, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) said that the association has members from the commission and the authority.

Osifo who was represented by Owan Abua said that the bill would go a long way to enhance the promotion of a peaceful use of nuclear atomic energy in the country.

“I suggest to the committee that it looks into the whole governance aspect in the nuclear regulatory space to be able to streamline the functions such that we will not have overlapping functions.”

Also, the President of the Nigeria Society of  Engineers (NSE), Tasiu Gidari-Wudil said that there “will likely be a clash between the two agencies if the grey areas in the bill are not amended.