From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Director Mines Inspectorate office of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Engr Frank Odom has said that the Federal Government would start monitoring the movement of explosives in the country.
Odum , while speaking at a ‘Two-day Technical Training In Explosives Management and Optimization Organized by NIGACHEM in Abuja yesterday, said the tracking and monitoring of explosives ought to be done so that the government is not caught unawares.
He said“The tracking is to prevent diversion, if there is any delay on the way you raise an alarm and call closest security formation, we don’t pray for it but it serves if they are being attacked. If you are monitoring any kind of truck or anybody in motion ones it stops for more than two to three hours for instance you must raise an alarm, it’s normal to ask questions.
“It helps you to know per minute and second what is happening. Most of the other organisations are using it so it’s not new, there is nothing too sophisticated about it. We are working towards having companies that are designated specifically for explosive movement, they will be registered and licensed for that purpose, although we are not there yet, we are just putting things together.
“the monitoring would be done by the Ministry and when the companies come upstream, they would be compelled to do the same, monitoring cannot be too much, it is all to ensure that we are not cut unawares.”
Also Executive Director, Sales, Nigachem Nigeria Limited, Engr Bayo Yusuf, said there is need for monitoring the movement of explosives, to avoid wrong possession.
Yusuf said”the security and safety of our products because of global wave of terrorism and insecurity in the country.
“Explosive if it gets into wrong hands could do a lot of damage. We have to emphasize that whoever buys our products, we have the technology, capacity, and infrastructure to be able to track and trace whatever takes our material.