The IAEA National Liaison Officers (NLOs) and AFRA Coordinators Technical Cooperation(TCP) Meeting/Program being hosted by NAEC was declared open on 21st March 2022, by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, who was represented by a Director from the SGF office, Mr Fashina Olakunle. The SGF in his speech charged participants to freely discuss and also explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration amongst Member States in Africa in different areas of human development in relation to nuclear science and technology. The SGF commended the IAEA for making Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCPs) in Africa to be critical in promoting access to its numerous benefits through peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology for socioeconomic development.
The Chairman/CEO of NAEC, Professor Ahmed Yusuf Aminu who doubles as the Chief host, in his welcoming address tasked participants on the need to discuss on implementable policies in the areas of improving science, technology and innovation in relation to nuclear science and technology.
The Chairman of NAEC further called on participants to share country experiences and knowledge in areas that can improve their country’s implementation of the TCPs.
In a related development, the Director, African Division of the IAEA, Professor Shaukat Abdulrazak, spoke extensively on the fundamentals of IAEA and tasked participants on the need for a paradigm shift in TCP implementation and finding ways to strengthen the activities of NLOs, NLAs and AFRA Coordinators in Africa. He also made presentations on the progress made so far in the areas of application of nuclear science and technology for socioeconomic development across African countries in the areas of health care, agriculture, food security, medicine, water resources management and safety. He further commended NAEC Chairman/CEO, Professor Ahmed Yusuf Aminu for his giant strides in engaging the Federal Government of Nigeria in co-sharing of events that concerns peaceful application of nuclear science and technology and the IAEA.
In a similar development, goodwill messages were read by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Geoffrey Onyeama, who was represented by Mr Danlami Ibrahim, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation represented by Engineer Joseph Olayande, gave the ministry’s support for the promotion of the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. The Director General of NNRA congratulated NAEC efforts in hosting the NLOs continental meeting In Abuja.
The Technical Meeting ended on Friday 25th March, 2022.