Atomic Energy Agency pays SIEMENS N150 million yearly for an abandoned facility
The Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, pays a whooping N150 Million yearly to Siemens Group for an abandoned Gamma Irradiation facility located at the Science and Technology Complex, Shedda in Kwali Area Council, Pointblanknews.com investigations have revealed.
The Irradiation facility which was built in 2006 at a cost estimated at over N50 Billion was expected to generate N7. 245 Billion yearly.
Findings showed that the facility has lost six times that amount since inauguration Technology.
Besides becoming a conduit pipe used by the management of (NAEC) to siphon billions of naira, the Director of the Commission, Dr. Franklin Erapamo Osaisai is alleged to be busy collecting estacodes, travelling overseas and hardly performs his duties.
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The Osaisai-led commission, had, instead, allegedly engaged Siemens Nigeria Limited to manage the facility which had only one third of its capacity left where it pays the company a whooping N150 million yearly to manage the facility. The company has managed the facility since inception.
In addition, the facility which master plan entailed the establishment of a power-generating source (power plant) near it has in its place a generator which uses diesel that consumes over N500 million yearly. The facility could be used for vegetables, grains, tubers, meat, fish, poultry and grains irradiation and preservation and has the capacity to render insects inactive for years.
The facility was designed, with full capacity utilization, to engage hundreds of Nigerian scientists and create employment opportunities but nothing of the sort has taken place since inception.
There was also a case of a truckload of syringes taken to the facility last year for sterilization by a Nigerian company which ended up in disaster as the facility could not cope with the process owing to poor management and malfunction leading to protracted litigation.
A competent source who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the mess, said the nation was “losing billions of naira due to under-utilization of the irradiator. Cocoa, kolanut, gingers and bitter kola which have great export value can be irradiated and preserved to meet international quarantine requirements for greater economic benefits”.
Before his appointment in 2006, Osaisai was director of the Sheda Science and Technology in Abuja. He was drafted into the position by former Minister of science and technology, Tourner Isoun.
The Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) established in 1976 as a specialized agency, has the mandate to develop the framework and technical pathway to explore, exploit and harness atomic energy for peaceful application in all its ramifications for the socio-economic development of Nigeria.