Radiation Protection Board Secretariat Inspect Scrap Metals Loading Sites

The Executive Secretary and Chief Radiation Protection Officer of the Radiation Protection Board secretariat Mr. Josephus Kongo and team of Scientific Inspectors have completed an inspection tour of various scrap metal sites in Freetown with the aim of inspecting the collected scrap metals and sensitising  the staff and labourers at the various sites on the dangers of handling radioactive materials found among scrap metals and at the same time admonish them to be vigilant in looking out for electrical conductors, water pipes railway lines which are again been frequently stolen probably to be sold as scrap metals.  (Photo: Executive Secretary Radiation Protection Board Secretariat Josephus Kongo)

The Executive Secretary briefed the staff at the various loading sites to be aware of the risk they are prone to in dealing with scrap metals. He admonished them to take into consideration the laws that bind the scrap metal trade. He reiterated that Police, Trade Official Radiation Protection Officer, NRA Officer should all be present during loading of containers.  He noted that though it was not his secretariat that was responsible for clearing of garbage yet, as Sierra Leoneans we should all be watchful of the types of items that are bought as scrap metal.

He told the labourers in the various sites that they should ensure that they police the scrap metals to ensure that no public property like electrical conductors, water pipes, railway lines etc were sold as scrap metals as government was spending millions of dollars to purchase these items.  He also informed the labourers that about few days ago the Power Supply cable from the NPA sub-station to Ashobi corner at Blackhall Road was stolen because of its copper.  He appealed to them to be on the look-out for these cables as the money that will be used to reprocure them were tax payer’s money which should be used to provide other essential services for Sierra Leoneans. Mr Kongo also referred to accidental bomb explosion at Lungi which affected scrap metal scavengers and warned them to exercise extreme caution in scavenging for scraps. He said that any identified strange scrap metal should be brought to the attention of the authorities before handling.

The Overseer of Sierra Global Trade Ltd, Mr. Mohamed Ansari said that they as scrap metal dealers were finding it difficult to get materials From Freetown and they currently relied on provincial supply which in some cases contained unexploded bombs and other dangerous items for which they had no instrument to identify. He revealed that sometime ago they received metals that were of military importance which they had to dump in the sea to avoid accident.

Head of labourers at Sierra Globe Trade Ltd, Mohamed Samura told the team that the management was doing all in its power to provide the necessary working gears for the labourers but they in turn sold them so as to create the impression that they were not taking care of their well being. He however maintained that they as labourers relied on the Radiation Protection Secretariat to help to protect them so that they will be better protected against cancer.  He thanked the Radiation Protection Team for being so proactive in going round to sensitize them on their own safety and security of government property.

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