Handling radioactive shipment and warehousing requires a conducive environment and personnel with valid Personal Protective Equipment, PPE
The federal government has granted exclusive approval to Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance) as the sole handler for the import and export of radio-active substance in Nigeria.
By this approval, Nahcoaviance is saddled with the mandate to handle shipments with radioactive contents in its bonded whare house facilities at the airports.
The approval, jointly conveyed to Nahco by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), was contained in a communique issued at the end of the 25th February 2025, meeting in Abuja which directed thus;
“All importers and exporters of radioactive material previously affected by the closure should contact NAHCO for import and export of radioactive material which was affected by the embargo earlier imposed….”
The document jointly signed by Dr. Yau Usman Idris, for the Director-General/CEO of the Nigeria CAA, and Mr. Jamil Salau, Assistant General Manager (Legal) for NNRA, authorised NAHCO to adopt NNRA’s implementation plan as a working document.
According to a media statement from NAHCO, the leading ground handling firm was permitted to nominate qualified and experienced members of staff to form a technical working group to oversee implementation of the MoU within 14 working days and to also development a joint action plan with timelines for key activities.
Other resolutions arrived at during the meeting, apart from the authorization granted NAHCO, include the adoption of NNRA’s implementation plan as a working document; **nomination of members to form a technical working group/committee to oversee MoU implementation within 14 working days and the development of a joint action plan with timelines for key activities.
The 25th February 2025 meeting also unanimously agreed to “the commencement of joint training program as stipulated in the MoU; preparation of a schedule for joint Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) drills; regular meetings to review progress and address emerging issues. Also included was the harmonization of license validation and duration.
Commenting on this feat, Prince Saheed Lasisi, NAHCO’s Group Executive Director, Commercial and Business Development said the company will continue to proffer solutions to challenges of shipping cargo with critical radioactive substance.
The Group Managing Director/CEO, NAHCO Plc, Mr. Olumuyiwa Olumekun, thanked the NCAA, and the NNRA for the approval for NAHCO’s facilities to be used to handle materials with radioactive contents.Olumekun said the management placed premium on diligence and adherence to due process with the view to ensure 100 percent compliance to procedures by highly – trained professionals in the discharge of specialized functions
About Post Author
