GAEC boss honoured at International Conference on political/civil strife in Africa

The Director-General of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Prof. Benjamin J.B. Nyarko has been honored at the International Conference on Political/Civil Strife in Africa held at the Fiesta Royal Hotel, Accra.

The award, conferred on him by the West Africa International Press Limited, was in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of peace and security in the nuclear industry which has contributed to the socio-economic development of Ghana.

The West African International Press, publishers of the West African International Magazine is concerned with bringing to the forefront issues of corruption, hunger, poverty, and politics among member countries that are detrimental to development.

Additionally, they also collaborate with organizations, ministries, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to organize conferences, trade missions, and award programs in honor of deserving Africans, who have contributed to the promotion of peace and development in their chosen professions.

In his remarks, the chairman for the occasion, Noble Justice Isaac Duose, a retired Appeals Court Judge, who is also the chairman of the governing council of Wisconsin International University College noted that peace and security are essential elements for the development of every nation.

“Where a people are so tied unshakably to the rightness of their tribe or religion, conflict, strife is bound to arise” he stated.

Noble Justice Duose indicated the inter-tribal strife is bound to be abundant and serious where people are not prepared to eschew their pride and intolerance of other peoples’ tribes.

“To be honest, unless our leaders are honest and humble enough to admit and to take advantage of our variety, we will continue to be in strife,” he added.

The award ceremony brought together professionals from various government agencies and industries including education, health, manufacturing, and business for excellence and contribution to peace and development.

By: CPRC/CCD

Nyonko Do Farmers Association gets technical assistance from GAEC

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has decided to offer technical support to a farm-based organization, Nyonko Do Farmers Association (NDFA), in the area of Agriculture and Agribusiness.

The decision was the outcome of a meeting between GAEC and NDFA on Wednesday, 27th January 2021.

Last year, NDFA approached the Commission to seek collaboration, support, and expertise to help boost the Association’s agric-related businesses, in line with Government’s 1D1F project.

 

A representative of the Association, Madam Cynthia Mensa made a strong case for the collaboration between GAEC, financial institutions, and farm-based groups within the country, adding that it would help create and sustain a viable value chain for the agricultural sector in its bid to actualize the aims of the 1D1F.

“GAEC is a credible institution, the reason we are here today seeking opportunities in terms of technical assistance from the scientists, funding and business plans/models”, she indicated.

 

“In spite of the farmer’s ability to produce in tons, they face a number of challenges, including, access to funds, technical know-how, and post-harvest losses”, she added.

The Acting Director of Commercialization and Communication Directorate (CCD), Mrs. Sheila Frimpong, in a brief remark, said since the first meeting last year, a lot of paperwork on collaboration between the two entities had been done.

“A memorandum of understanding has been drafted and forwarded to the Office of Legal Affairs of GAEC for their consideration and approval”, she added.

 

The Director of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute (BNARI) of GAEC, Dr. Micheal Osae, also enumerated the various areas of assistance the Institute would offer the Association.

This he said includes soil testing, compost production, and irrigation systems. He added that post-harvest management services with a solar dryer and Gamma irradiation technology were available to address post-harvest losses.

 

A representative from the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) of GAEC, Mr. Patrick Lamptey, also noted that as part of the collaboration, drone technology, and satellite imaging would be used for weather forecasting and monitoring of irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide application.

Meanwhile, the GAEC team would arrange and take a tour of the farms and projects being undertaken by NDFA at their base in Kasoa in the Central Region. This visit would allow the team to familiarize themselves with the issues raised by the farmers firsthand. The visit to the project site would inform the next line of action.

Commercialization and communication directorate Of GAEC holds maiden general meeting

The Commercialization and Communication Directorate (CCD) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has held its maiden general meeting with a call on staff to be committed to the cause of the Directorate.

The Acting Director of CCD, Ms. Sheila Frimpong, who made the call, urged the staff to rally behind one another and actively participate in the efforts towards realizing the reasons for establishing it.

 

Ms. Frimpong in a presentation took the staff through the vision, mission, and goals of the Directorate as well as the key activities and targets for the five Centers under the Directorate for the year 2021.

She urged them to achieve targets set out for the year, adding: “the CCD has been established to drive commercialization of the Commission’s nuclear technologies and other services to help generate income to support the activities of the Commission”.

“It was also established to promote the Commission’s brand as well as build strong identity and reputation through effective communication,” she said.

The Acting Director, however, noted that this could not be realized without teamwork and shared responsibility among the staff of CCD.

 

Managers of each Centre took turns to give brief remarks, urging staff to be supportive, dutiful and committed to the aspirations of the Directorate and its leadership.

 

The CCD, through restructuring and realignment of some administrative offices in GAEC, was established in January 2021, to help boost the commercialization of the Commission’s nuclear technologies and other services, and bring to the doorstep of individuals and industries, the Commission’s solution-driven nuclear research that addresses societal problems, while promoting the peaceful use of nuclear, biotechnology and other related technologies for the socio-economic development of the country.

 

By CPRC/CCD

Ghanaian Nuclear Scientist Elected Member of IPRA Executive Council

Dr. Joseph Amoako Deputy Director, Radiation Protection Institute
Dr. Joseph Amoako
Deputy Director, Radiation Protection Institute

The International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) has elected Dr. Joseph Amoako as a member of its Executive Council for the 2021-2024 tenure.

Dr. Amoako was elected to the Council following the announcement of three vacant positions which were keenly contested by candidates from Ghana, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, among others.

He is the first African to be elected to the Executive Council, the highest decision-making body of the Association.

Dr. Amoako is the Deputy Director of the Radiation Protection Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, and also the Vice President of the Ghana Association for Radiation Protection. He is a Senior Lecturer at the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences of the University of Ghana.

He spearheaded groundbreaking research in Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission. This has helped in the monitoring of Mobile Phone Base Stations in Ghana, assessment of Microwave devices, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, among others. Dr. Amoako was an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fellow at the Greek Atomic Energy Commission in Occupation Radiation Protection.

IRPA is the international association of radiation protection professionals with 53 associate societies in 68 countries.

IPRA promotes high professional competence, radiation protection culture, and practice by providing benchmarks of good practice and encouraging the application of the highest standards of professional conduct, skills, and knowledge for the benefit of individuals and society.

By CPRC/CCD

Don’t ignore mandatory test for radiation status of water: It can be injurious to human health – GAEC

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has appealed to regulators and players in the water industry not to ignore the mandatory water quality tests for the radiation status of water in the country.

This, the Commission said, would help avert any injury to the internal organs of consumers as a result of long-term exposure to radiological substances.

The Manager of the Environmental Radiation Protection Center of the Radiation Protection Institute of GAEC, Dr. Oscar Adukpo, in an interview, noted that radiation exists in the environment including water.

Dr. Adukpo said, for this reason, the government has come out with a radiological quality requirement in addition to other requirements for water quality tests.

“Therefore, the specific requirements under the radiological quality test are Gross Alpha and Gross Beta with a permissible range of 0.1Bq/L and 1.0B/L, respectively,’’ he added.

Dr. Adukpo cautioned that although these were low radiation levels, once they get into the body in appreciable volumes, they were injurious to human health.

“They decay and accumulate in the liver and other internal organs over a long period, causing damage and could result in cancer. It is therefore important to screen water for these radionuclides to make sure they are not above the acceptable range”, he noted.

Dr. Adukpo however, lamented that although the test was one of the requirements in addition to other requirements by Ghana Standard Authority (GSA), only a few water sachet and bottling companies ensure compliance.

“Some companies realizing the effect of radiation on humans, bring their water to be tested to ensure compliance” he disclosed.

By CPRC/CCD

GAEC restructures administrative offices to boost Productivity and commercialization of its nuclear technologies

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has reorganized and restructured some administrative offices to enhance efficiency and boost the commercialization of its nuclear technologies and other services.

 

Mr. William Srekuma, Director of Administration(GAEC)
Mr. William Srekuma, Director of Administration(GAEC)

The exercise involved the consolidation and realignment of about five different Offices which has given birth to a new office, called the Commercialization and Communication Directorate (CCD). The CCD has five Centers, namely; the Communication and Public Relations, Marketing, Technology Transfer and Innovation, Information and Communication Technology, and the Guesthouse and Hospitality Services Centers.

 

The Commission also elevated its Human Resource Department into a Directorate which now has four Centers to effectively manage employee’s capacity development and job performance within the Commission. The Centers are; Training and Development, Recruitment and Selection, Counseling, and Welfare and Pension Centers.

 

The Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko, explained that the Commission undertook the restructuring exercise to bring to the doorstep of individuals and industries, the Commission’s solution-driven nuclear research that addresses societal problems, whiles, promoting the peaceful use of nuclear, biotechnology and other related technologies for the socio-economic development of the country.

 

He also noted that the CCD would aid in the promotion of commercialization to help generate income to support the activities of the Commission, whiles the Human Resource (HR) Directorate would boost the functionality of the HR personnel towards the effective management of employees, welfare and morale, among others.

By CPRC/CCD

GAEC Orients Newly Appointed Directors and Managers

A one-day orientation workshop has been organized for newly appointed Directors and Managers of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).

 

The orientation which is part of the Commission’s anticipated new phase had participants from the recently restructured Human Resource and the Commercialization and Communication Directorates to enhance efficiency and boost the commercialization of its nuclear technologies and other services.

 

The Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko, in brief remarks, encouraged participants to bring to bear, some positive change in their new roles; “transformation does not start with a multitude of people but an individual,” he stated.

 

Prof. Nyarko urged the Managers to contribute meaningfully to the cause of Management for the realization of the Commission’s objectives. He reminded them that their roles were performance-based.

 

He admonished the appointees to have the spirit of humility to learn from their subordinates, and also establish healthy working relationships with all Staff as well as orient themselves with the management structures and systems of the Commission.

 

He further congratulated them on their appointments and wished them well in their new endeavour. “I hope that what you learn today will bring the needed transformation through you and help achieve our objectives,” he added.

 

The topics treated at the workshop included, the Duties and Roles of the Director, Deputy Director and Manager Positions, Policies and Procedures/Change Management, Functions of Internal Audit, and Public Financial Management Reforms.

 

By CPRC/CCD

Vacancy Announcement

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, established by an Act of Parliament, Act 588 of 2000, as the sole Agency in Ghana responsible for all matters relating to peaceful uses of atomic energy, invites applications for the following positions;

  1. Director General

The Position

  • The Director General is the Chief Executive of GAEC and is responsible for the day-to-day administration as well as the research, development and education functions of the Commission.
  • The Director General is responsible for the implementation of the Commission’s Strategic Plan and for initiating new directions in research and development and human capacity building activities of the Commission.

 

Specific Areas of Operation includes working with;

  • Governments
  • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
  • Atomic Energy Authorities of other countries;
  • Other International Agencies;
  • Research Institutions and Universities, both local and international.

 

The Person

Must be a citizen of Ghana and an accomplished Research Scientist.

 

Qualification/ Work Experience

  • Must be a (Ph.D., DSc, and DPhil) in nuclear and/ or allied sciences.
  • Must have sound knowledge and experience in nuclear sciences and/or nuclear engineering.
  • Must be a Chief Research Scientist/Professor with knowledge in nuclear and allied sciences.
  • Must be a distinguished scholar with a capacity to motivate and direct staff.
  • Must possess good organizational skills and exhibit a high sense of responsibility and leadership.
  • Must possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and capacity to manage and control crisis situations.
  • Must be innovative, business-oriented, and able to establish rapport between the Commission and potential user agencies (such as Industry, Agriculture, Health, etc)
  • Must have the ability to attract research funding
  • Must not be more than 55 years old.

Duties/ Key Responsibilities

  • Advise Government on nuclear programs in pursuit of national development.
  • Set the priority goals of research activities within the Commission in line with Government policy.
  • Drive the research and technical operations of GAEC, including commercialization of research output.
  • Develop and implement the appropriate strategies and systems for effective coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of research work within the Institutes.
  • Ensure a sound working environment, which is conducive for the publication of research output.
  • Ensure the availability of funds for research purposes.

Terms of Appointment

  • The appointment, which is a full time, will be for five (5) years full term in the first instance and may be subject to renewal for a second term.

 

  1. Director/ Dean of School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS)

The Position

The Director/ Dean is responsible for directing the administrative, scientific, technical, and educational functions of SNAS.

 

The Dean will report to the Director-General.

 

The Person

Must be a citizen of Ghana and an accomplished Research Scientist

Qualification/ Work experience

  • Must possess a higher degree (Ph.D., DSc, and DPhil) in either Nuclear or related fields.
  • Must be of the minimum rank of Principal Research Scientist or Associate Professor.
  • Must possess a good sense of direction and managerial leadership.
  • Must have excellent research, analytical and conceptual capabilities to be able to innovate for performance improvement.
  • Must be able to demonstrate maturity, integrity, assertiveness, self-confidence, and broad knowledge of the Nuclear, Biotechnology, and other related fields so as to be able to promote the image of GAEC at national and international fora.
  • Must have proven ability to organize and coordinate research and educational activities at SNAS and to motivate research project leaders to combine research excellence with cost-effectiveness and relevance.
  • Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills so as to be able to inspire research and supporting students and staff.
  • Must not be more than fifty-five (55) years.

Duties / key responsibilities

  • The Dean is to work closely with the Director-General to implement policies of the Commission.
  • It is his/her responsibility to initiate new research proposals in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved Country Programme Framework (CPF) for Ghana and co-ordinate research, scientific, technical, and educational activities at SNAS.
  • Set the priority goals of research activities at SNAS in line with the Commission’s policy.
  • Drive the research and technical operations of SNAS.
  • Develop and implement the appropriate strategies and systems for effective coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of research work at SNAS.
  • Ensures a sound working environment conducive for the publication of research output.
  • Ensures the availability of funds for research purposes at SNAS.
  • Cultivate and develop relationships with alumni and industry partners.
  • Teaching and Learning
  • Any other job that may be assigned by the Director-General.

Terms of Appointment

  • The position is for five (5) years but may be renewed for a second term.
  • Must be able to serve a full term of five (5) years.

 

Mode of Application

Application forms may be obtained at the Commission’s Cash Office at a fee of GH¢500.00 or download the forms below

[wpdm_package id=’6246′]

and GH₵500.00 paid at the Cash Office upon submission of the forms.

 

 

A written application together with a completed application form should be submitted to the Director-General at the address below not later than Friday, February 26, 2021.

 

The Director-General

Ghana Atomic Energy Commission

P.O. Box LG 80, Legon Accra.

 

The application should also include:

  • Complete CV of the applicant with names and addresses of three referees

A two (2) page Vision Statement.

GAEC holds orientation workshop for new Directors and Managers

A three-day induction and orientation workshop has been organized for newly appointed Directors and Managers of some Institutes and Centers/Departments of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).

The event which was held in the Council Chamber of the Commission was organized for 13 participants after a rigorous selection process.

 

The aim of the workshop was to sensitize the appointees on the basic administrative tenets, laws, and procedures needed to carry out their duties at their various Institutes and Centers/Departments.

In his welcome address, the Director-General, Prof B.J.B. Nyarko said that being appointed as a leader comes with some level of administrative work and that, it was important that they familiarize themselves with the basic administrative processes and procedures needed in carrying out their duties.

 

He appealed to the appointees to be humble in the discharge of their duties, promote teamwork, and establish healthy relationships with their subordinates.

He further advised them to orient themselves with rules and regulations guiding their scope of work and scheme of service.

 

“As you have occupied these positions, learn on the job and be friendly to your staff, and the people you are working with” he stated.

 

Prof. Nyarko thanked the Director of Administration and his team for organizing the workshop and noted that going forward, the entire staff of the Commission should benefit from such an initiative.

 

He congratulated them on their appointments to the various Institutes and Centers and wished them well in their new endeavor.

The topics treated at the three-day workshop included budget and imprest systems, corporate image building, effective leadership and management, business communication, and procurement procedures.

 

The rests were emotional intelligence and coping skills, bridging the gap between Institutes and Technology Transfer and Marketing Centre (TTMC), administrative processes and scheme of service, and understanding corporate strategic planning.

The resource persons for the three-day event were the Director of Administration, Mr. William Srekumah, the Director of Finance, Mr. Cyprian Basing, the Manager of Atomic Guesthouse, Mr. Essuman Kweku, Manager for the Office of Corporate and Public Affairs, Mr. Mark Sarfo, the Manager of Technology Transfer and Marketing Centre, Mrs. Sheila Frimpong, the Counseling Psychologist for the GAEC Hospital, Mrs. Mercy E. Amuasi, Head of Procurement, Mr. Paul Adika, Manager of Human Resource, Mr. Maxwell Nyarko and the Secretary to the GAEC corporate strategic plan committee, Mr. Richard Asare.

Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and Centre for Plant Medicine Research in advanced talks for collaborative research and technology transfer

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR), Mampong Akuapem, have engaged in advanced talks for collaborative research on large-scale production of seedlings of Capparis erythrocarpos Isert, an important medicinal plant used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis in Ghana.

The research project is expected to foster collaboration between the two institutions, build capacity, and lead to the transfer of technology in the use of Plant Tissue Culture for large-scale propagation of important medicinal plants in Ghana. In addition, the collaboration will facilitate the exchange of scientific ideas and expertise in other areas of interest.

In a brief meeting held at the CPMR to strengthen/formalize this partnership, the Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Yao Osae, expressed confidence that this project would encourage collaboration and facilitate the exchange of scientific ideas in other areas of mutual benefits to both institutions. He pointed out that besides plant tissue culture, the Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF) at BNARI-GAEC is capable of sterilizing and preserving food and medicinal products to improve safety and extend the shelf-life. This technology will be of immense benefit to the CPMR and small-scale producers of traditional herbal medicine in Ghana.

The Acting Executive Director of CPMR, Dr. Kofi Bobi Barimah, disclosed that the use of plant tissue culture for mass production of C. erythrocarpos seedlings would encourage large-scale cultivation, eventually boosting production of “Sirrapac”, an important herbal medicine used for the management of rheumatoid arthritis in the clinic at CPMR. According to him, this partnership can be extended to solve cultivation challenges associated with other medicinal plants used for herbal medicines at CPMR. Mr. Tony Asafo-Agyei, a research scientist and head of the Plant Development Department (PDD) of CPMR who initiated discussions leading to the collaboration, was present at the meeting together with the Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Alfred Ampomah Appiah.

Dr. Wilfred Elegba, a research scientist at BNARI and leader of the project team, is working with other scientists from BNARI and CPMR to enhance the large-scale production and cultivation of C. erythrocarpos to meet the demand for “Sirrapac” production and for other medicinal uses. He reiterated the need for collaboration and partnership between research and teaching institutions/universities in Ghana to facilitate the development of innovative solutions to address challenges in agriculture.

Over the last two decades, BNARI has played a pivotal role in the development of plant tissue culture protocols for mass production of clean planting materials for food crops such as pineapple, plantain, sweet potato, sugarcane, and medicinal plants such as Aframomum melegueta (alligator pepper) and Phyllantus niruri (Awommaa guwakyi).

By: GAEC Multimedia/TTMC