Nigeria interested in generating power from Nuclear energy: vice president

LAGOS, Dec. 15 (Xinhua/GNA) -- Nigeria's Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed the country's interest in exploring nuclear energy as a complementary source to thermal and hydro installations for power supply.

Jonathan said this when the delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),led by its director general Yukiya Amano visited the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Tuesday.

He said while the hydro and thermal energy sources had their peculiar limitations, nuclear energy was reputed to be one of the most stable sources of energy.

The vice-president expressed delight at the offer by the IAEA to assist in establishing cancer control and prevention facilities in the country.

He pointed out that if cancer centers such as the one being sponsored by First Lady Turai Yar' Adua, were equipped to international standards, the drift by Nigerians to countries, such as India,for cancer related cases would be addressed.

Jonathan asked the IAEA to assist in basic capacity training of Nigerians in nuclear energy development, especially at the tertiary level.

He said the IAEA projects, facilitated through training courses, equipment disbursement and scientific visits were planned to assist Nigeria to strengthen and expand its radiotherapy and nuclear medicine centers for cancer control.

He expressed the resolve by IAEA to assist the country in human capacity building, noting that Nigeria was important to African cooperation and development.

GNA