NATIONAL TRAINING COURSE FOR REGULATORS IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE

NATIONAL TRAINING COURSE FOR REGULATORS IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) organized a National Training Course (NTC) for NNRA regulators on Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) for first responders to nuclear and radiological emergencies in Nigeria. The training took place at the Sultanate Suites, No. 35 Race Course Road, Nasarawa GRA, Kano State, from October 30 to November 2, 2024. The NTC was conducted in collaboration with TSN General Contractors Nigeria Limited.

The training was sponsored by the Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abubakar Kabiru Bichi, and made possible by NNRA's DG/CEO, Dr. Yau Idris, to enhance the capacity of NNRA regulatory officers during nuclear and radiological incidents and emergencies.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Yau Idris, represented by Mr. Abdullahi Saleh NaAllah, Head of the Kano Operational Office, emphasized that the NTC aims to strengthen national capacity and capability for EPR to nuclear and radiological emergencies. He stressed the importance of ensuring personnel competence in regulatory functions and urged participants to maximize the training opportunity to improve their skills and confidence.

The NTC Coordinator Engr. Saiyadi Sulaiman, also Head of the NNRA-EPR Division, noted that regulatory responsibilities in nuclear and radiological emergencies require suitably trained and qualified personnel. The training addresses this by enhancing national capacity and capability for emergency preparedness and response, reinforcing institutional infrastructure, and consolidating national architecture for nuclear and radiological emergencies.

The NTC's objectives include establishing proper mechanisms for responding to radiological and nuclear incidents and emergencies, reducing potential consequences and exposure, and providing technical support for national-level response to nuclear and radiological emergencies.

The NTC was based on the approved International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) EPR training syllabus, IAEA first responders' manual, and NNRA regulations. The NTC supports human capacity for Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordination Centre. It maintains national emergency preparedness, including training first responders and personnel responsible for responding to nuclear and radiological emergencies.

Organizations responsible for emergency management recognize that preparedness improves emergency response. The NTC program strengthens national arrangements for response to radiological and nuclear emergencies and Nigeria's compliance with international legal instruments and safety standards.