By Mustapha Yauri

Zaria (Kaduna State), Nov. 5, 2022

The African Regional Co-operative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) has appointed Prof. Maryam Aminu as member of its Programme Management Committee (AFRA- PMC).

Malam Auwalu Umar, the Director, Public Affairs Directorate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, confirmed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Umar said Ali Ada, AFRA Chair, conveyed the appointment in a letter and congratulated Aminu on behalf of AFRA Member States.

He added that Aminu’s selection as AFRA PMC member was endorsed at the 32nd meeting of AFRA Representatives, which took place at Vienna, Austria, in September 2021.

“By this development, Prof. Maryam Aminu represents Nigeria on the Committee, whose other members were drawn from Algeria, Egypt, Mali, Morocco and South Africa.

“Ms Dina Husseiny Farag, who represents Egypt on the regional body, is the Chair of the Committee while Aminu would serve as the Secretary of the committee,’’ Umar said

According to him, Aminu is a professor of virology and immunology; she is also the Head of Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, ABU Zaria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AFRA is an intergovernmental Agreement established by African Member States to further strengthen and enlarge the contribution of nuclear science and technology to socio-economic development on the African continent.

The scope of AFRA activities covers a wide range of peaceful applications of nuclear techniques that contribute towards the achievement of national and regional development goals.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is not party to AFRA, but provides technical and scientific backstopping as well as financial and administrative support.