Oshana: The Ministry of Health and Social Services on Monday conducted public consultations in the Oshana Region on the draft Nuclear Bill, which seeks to replace the Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Act of 2005 and broaden the regulation of nuclear activities in Namibia.According to Namibia Press Agency, the consultations, held at the Oshana Regional Council, formed part of a nationwide engagement aimed at gathering public and stakeholder input before the draft legislation is submitted for consideration. The proposed Nuclear Bill seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Act No. 5 of 2005, which currently governs the country's atomic energy and radiation protection framework.Radiation Physicist Paulus Namupala of the ministry's Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Regulator said the existing legislation no longer adequately addresses emerging areas of the nuclear sector. 'The new Bill aims to repeal the current Act because it does not cover areas such as nuclear installations and spent fuel management. These are some of the benefits of the new legislation we are seeking to introduce,' Namupala said. 'We want to obtain input from all regions so that it can be a collective Bill,' he added.Namupala said the consultations are intended to inform the public about the proposed changes and provide communities and stakeholders across the country with an opportunity to contribute to the drafting process. Legal practitioner Inonge Mainga told Nampa after the consultation that the draft legislation represents a significant shift from the existing legal framework by moving beyond regulation towards enabling the development of Namibia's nuclear industry.'The Bill will replace the Atomic Energy Act and establish a new structure comprising three bodies. For the first time, based on the functions and powers assigned to these bodies, Namibia will play a role in developing the nuclear industry rather than merely regulating it,' she said. Mainga said the proposed law also introduces provisions regula ting areas that were previously not covered, including nuclear installations, decommissioning, and the transportation of nuclear materials.She added that the Bill strengthens accountability by introducing harsher penalties for offences in the nuclear sector, including fines of up to N.dollars 10 million and prison terms of up to 20 years for certain violations.