The chairman of the House of Representatives committee on Renewable Energy, Afam Victor Ogene (LP, Anambra) has warned against anything that may endanger the security of the nation through acts of sabotage.
Ogene also appealed to nuclear scientists managing Nigeria’s two nuclear research centres in Zaria and Ife, Osun state to avoid any act of sabotage that could lead to adverse incidents that would jeopardize the security of the nation.
The workers of the two centres had petitioned the House over the non-payment of the approved hazard and high-risk allowance due to them.
The lawmaker said the parliament was working towards ensuring that the budget office of the federation “grant the two centres of excellence financial autonomy, by providing them with separate budget lines for the effective and efficient discharge of their mandate.”
Ogene was speaking when representatives of the two Centres met with the Committee on Renewable Energy in continuation of the investigation into why the hazard and high-risk allowances, which were approved for the scientists in the two centres were allegedly paid to civil servants in the employ of Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Abuja.
The two research centres involved are the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
While the centre in Zaria, Kaduna state, is the nation’s only nuclear reactor, the Centre in Ile-Ife hosts a nuclear Tandem Accelerator in addition to nuclear waste and other dreaded sources of radiation that must be handled with care.
The management of the centres had, through a letter to the Speaker of the House raised concerns over the impact of the non-payment of the allowances on the morale of scientists at the two centres, given the risk they are exposed to daily.
They also raised concerns over the danger of a possible sabotage or avoidable nuclear accident as a result of the disillusionment of staff at the two centres over poor working conditions and lack of institutional support for their programmes.
Representatives of the Centres, Prof. Ganiyu I. Balogun, Prof. J.F.K Akinbami, Dr. Bashir M. Umar, and Dr. M.B Katif, who spoke in turns, explained the challenges of the centres and how they have been trying to manage the situation to avert ugly nuclear incidents that could lead to serious international embarrassment.
However, Ogene informed them that efforts were being made by the House to bring a lasting resolution to the identified challenges.
He said: “That the Rt. Honourable Speaker, do direct the Budget Office of the Federation, as well as the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to restore the Allowances under review.
“Also, direct the budget office of the federation to grant the two Centres of Excellence Financial Autonomy, by providing them with separate budget lines for the Effective and Efficient discharge of their mandate.
“Also the various appeals by the chairman/CEO of Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, made on behalf of his staff, should be approved by the sensitive nature of the jobs they undertake.
“That the National Income Salaries and Wages Commission be queried because of its negative role in the matter.”
