FG Raises Alarm Over Toxic Aid From Japan

Determined that Nigeria does not become the beneficiary of potential Greek gifts, the Federal Government has raised an alarm over the possibility of ‘contaminated radioactive goods’, including rice, vegetables, and cars ‘in the form of aid’ landing in Nigeria from Asian countries, notably Japan.

Consequently, the Federal Government has placed the security agencies on high alert, directing those overseeing the various international entry points to be extra-vigilant to prevent the arrival of these dangerous good.

P.M.Maritime gathered that the Federal Government’s action was the result of a letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Health Minister.

The letter, which was signed by A. Tukur, on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Minister, specifically emanated from the Asia and Pacific Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the letter, the Foreign Affairs Minister had informed the counterpart at the Health Ministry that “report reaching the Ministry indicated that contaminated radioactive goods from Japan (rice, cars, vegetables etc) may be on their way to Africa, especially Nigeria, in the form of aid.”

The letter added: “It will be appreciated if early action would be taken to secure our borders for the non-arrival of these goods to Nigeria.”

Based on the Foreign Affairs Minister’s letter, the Federal Ministry of Health, it was learnt, had in turn, raised its own letter to stakeholders through the Port Health (Quarantine) Services at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, Lagos.

Addressed specifically to the Port Manager, the letter stated that: “I am directed to inform you of the above goods coming to Nigeria in form of aid from Japan and other Asian countries, and to inform that Port Health Services on its side is at alert.

“Attached is the letter from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Asia and Pacific Dept) Abuja. “It will be appreciated if early action is taken to secure our ports and other route of entry into the nation for non-arrival of the said goods.”

The letter was copied, among others, the various terminal operators at the ports, namely: APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL), ENL Consortium and Greenview Development Nigeria Limited (GDNL).

Others copied are Eko Support Services; Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area 1 Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); Controller, Apapa, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); and Officer-in-Charge, Apapa, State Security Service (SSS).

Unimpeachable sources in the Presidency informed P.M.Maritime that the Federal Government decided to check the importation of rice and other food items from Japan and other Asian countries due to the nuclear disaster that hit Japan earlier this year, and which has been found to have contaminated the waters, air, and lands of Japan.

The effects of the disaster extended beyond Japan to the neighbouring countries, at varying degrees.

Writing on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the on-line encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, had stated: “The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster is a series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdown, and releases of radioactive material at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011… The Fukushima disaster is the largest of the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents and is the largest nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernoby disaster , but it is more complex, as multiple reactors and spent fuel pools are involved.”

Nigeria records a huge rice import bill, which grows progressively annually, the bulk of the commodity coming from Asia.

Similarly, Nigeria’s huge appetite for automobiles is largely catered for by Japanese brands either manufactured in Japan or at plants in other Asian countries, Europe or the Americas.

A number of analysts, who spoke to newsmen are projecting that the advisory from the Federal Government would impact greatly on the flow of the items listed as potentially-dangerous aid from Japan to Nigeria, but also in their capacity as commercially-traded imports from Japan to Nigeria.