•Diri tasks agency on exploring Nigeria’s space potential

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA) is to site its South-South zonal headquarters in Bayelsa State.

The NNRA Director-General, Dr. Yau Idris, disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, in Government House, Yenagoa.

Dr Idris, who was accompanied by members of the Bayelsa State House of Representatives Caucus, noted that the agency was the regulatory body in charge of issues relating to radiation.

According to him, the NNRA, an agency under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, has 80 per cent of its activities related to oil and gas.

According to Idris, the agency was also responsible for regulating radiation activities in the health, mining, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, among others.

Dr Idris stated that the increase in the agency's activities and the need to expand, informed the decision to approach the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipriye Sylva, who approved the siting of the office in Yenagoa.

Responding, Governor Diri said locating the agency's office in the state was a welcome development that would benefit the people.

The governor however urged the agency to move beyond oil and gas and explore other areas like space that would contribute to the development of the country as the world economy was moving away from oil and gas.

Senator Diri also appreciated Sylva for approving the zonal headquarters for the state.

While appreciating members of the National Assembly from Bayelsa for setting their political differences aside to work for development of the state, he said that what should be paramount in their stewardship should be bequeathing a better society to the next generation.

“Your agency is welcome to our state. Bayelsa is peaceful and looking for investors and partnership with all well-meaning corporate and private bodies. We request for more agencies, ministries, departments and parastatals to have their offices here.

“I appreciate the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and the Bayelsa State House of Representatives Caucus, especially the Deputy Chairman, Petroleum Upstream Committee, Hon Preye Oseke, who has been in touch with government and made this possible.

“As we are in the saddle of governance, the only choice we have is to work in unity and leave development for our children. Let us not leave a Bayelsa of hatred, war and illiteracy, sickness and disease to our children. Let’s make Bayelsa and Nigeria a state and country our children will be proud of,” Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, Daniel Alabrah, in a statement in Yenagoa, quoted the Governor as saying.

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