The Federal Government said it would embark on building of nuclear plants and careful application of nuclear energy to meet the needs of the country.
Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.
Onu said that nuclear energy would bridge the energy gap needed to enhance agriculture, advance health, improve education and boost manufacturing in the country.
He said that the Federal Government had started making arrangement with the Russian State Nuclear Corporation, Rosatom, to actualise its dream of application of nuclear energy.
He said that the reason the country chose the Russian state nuclear corporation was because of its essential experience in nuclear technology.
According to the minister, Rosatom will prepare the agreement on the construction of a nuclear power plant in the country.
Onu said that the country would in turn prepare an agreement on the development of the project which would determine further steps on the construction of the nuclear power plant.
“Nuclear power is considered a prominent alternative and a more environmentally beneficial solution since it emits far less greenhouse gases during electricity generation than coal or other traditional power plants.
“It is a manageable source of generating electricity and has large power-generating capacity that can meet industrial and city needs.
“It is not like the low-power technologies such as solar that might meet only local, residential or office needs but cannot generate power for heavy manufacturing,“ he said.
He said that the envisaged project would be a success because the plant would be fed from the uranium deposit in the country.
NIWA : N10bn Baro, Lokoja, Ogoja ports ready in 2017
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said works on the N10 billion inland ports under construction in Baro, Lokoja and Ogoja would be completed in 2017.
The Managing Director of NIWA, Mr Boss Mustapha, said in Lokoja yesterday that works on the ports at Baro, Lokoja and Ogoja had reached 98 per cent, 57 per cent and 75 per cent respectively.
He put the contract sums of the ports at Baro, N3.5 billion; Lokoja, N4.1 billion, and Ogoja, N2.7 billion.
He said that all the ports would be completed in the 2017 fiscal years, adding that the they would be provided with other auxiliary facilities.
The NIWA managing director also said that the augury port in Imo had reached 70 per cent completion stage while the Onitsha port had been completed and was ready for use.
According to him, NIWA has received a certificate of compliance from the regulator, saying that the process of concessioning the port to a private operator would commence soon.
When completed, the port will service the entire market in the South East while 10 other jetties are also being constructed across the country.
Mustapha expressed the hope that the ongoing process to amend the law establishing the organisation by the National Assembly would enable it to resolve problems of overlapping of responsibilities and other conflicts within the maritime sector.
Nuclear power plants? When we can’t manage or maintain refineries. And if a meltdown occurs? Boy, that would be looking for trouble. That would be an easy way to finish off the Nigerians that APC hunger has not dealt with. Let’s talk sense!