Civil society in Arlit, a mining city in northern Niger, organized a press convention on Thursday 13 Might to recall its issues over the situations for the closure of the Akouta uranium mine, owned by Cominak (Akouta Mining Firm), a subsidiary of the French big Orano (previously Areva) ), which ceased operations on 31 March.
Al-Moustapha Alhaçan, Civil Society Coordinator for Arlit, stay skeptical. He estimates that Cominak has not but fulfilled its commitments to dismantle the power and bury radioactive supplies: “How are we going to bury the hundreds of thousands of tons of slag heap that incorporates 80% of the uncovered radioactivity? The open one? That is what we wish to know:” That is how it is going to be finished and listed below are the checks of boards … What number of meters of sand ought to we put, what number of meters of concrete ought to we put and so forth “.”
Particulars about subcontractors
Nevertheless it shouldn’t be simply the environmental impression that worries the coordinator of civil society. He can be involved that native firms have been put aside to participate within the dismantling: “Cominak stays and indicators that it is going to soak up exterior firms. And we expect no, there are 150 native companies and these folks, for us, can dismantle this manufacturing unit. The second factor we ask the Minister to do is to ship us the settlement reached between the subcontractors’ unions and Cominak. There we shall be satisfied. However in any other case, for the second, no. “
Nonetheless, Prime Minister Ousseini Hadizatou Yacouba instructed the RFI {that a} assist plan was properly deliberate for subcontractors and promised that the authorities would pay shut consideration to environmental points. However for Al-Moustapha Alhaçan, coordinator of civil society in Arlit, she should come to the bottom to fulfill the folks: “Now we name the minister to go to the battlefield – should you can name it that – for us, the folks want ethical assist – not less than morally – from the authorities. ”
► See additionally: Evaluation – Niger: closure of one in every of the biggest uranium mines
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