- says NSRPA boss
July 6, 2015 By Victoria Saffa
Executive Secretary of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (NSRPA), Josie J. Kongo, has told Concord Times that majority of Sierra Leoneans are vulnerable to cancer and that many are dying of the disease unknowingly.
Kongo was speaking last week at his Liverpool Street head office where he said the main objective of the nuclear safety body is to protect people and the environment from exposure to radiation.
According to him, radiation is a form of energy that moves in the air space which acts with cells and causes them to function abnormally.
He said they are taking moves to mitigate the causes of cancer in the country, especially for people working in hospitals and mining areas, albeit adding that radiation has good effects if used properly.
Mr. Kongo stated that their operations have been affected by the Ebola outbreak as they could not go out to sensitise people about the dangers of radiation.
However, he disclosed that, “We have a memorandum of understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in dealing with the communities for them to know about the dangers of radiation when used in the bad way.”
He said they receive support from the International Atomic Agency (IAEA), a United Nations agency that is responsible for promoting the peaceful use of radiation.
He said some of the challenges they are facing include the unavailability of utility vehicles, lack of storage facility for radiation sources when they become disused, non-compliance of mining companies and limited resources to implement their activities, among others.