Administrator

The Ghana Society for Medical Physics (GSMP) has held a symposium in Accra to commemorate this year’s International Day for Medical Physics (IDMP).

The Symposium was under the theme, “Providing a Holistic Approach to Women Patient and Women Staff Safety in Radiation Medicine”. The programme saw the presence of Nuclear Scientists, Medical Doctors, Medical Physicists, and Students from Second Cycle schools and Tertiary Institutions among others.

The International Day of Medical Physics is an event held annually to raise awareness on the Profession of Medical Physics.

Speaking on the topic, “Female Medical Physicist: Global and Regional Perspectives”, Ms. Theresa Dery a Medical Physicist and research scientist at the Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GEAC), disclosed that Ghana has a total of 16 female Medical Physicists with only 6 currently practicing. According to her, four are yet to graduate and the other six are interns.

“Out of the six female Medical Physicits, two are in the clinical field, two in research and the remaining two in academia”, she said

Ms. Dery, who was the second female Medical Physicist to graduate from the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS), described the current state of affairs as unfortunate.

She blamed the situation on gender inequality and job security issues for females in such a field of study. She recommended that, there should be more scholarship programmes to sponsor females interested in the Medical Physics profession in order to produce more.

She finally called for Mathematics and Science clinics to be extended to basic schools to ensure a fertile foundation for young female students.

The Director of RAMSRI, GAEC, Prof. Mary Boadu, who delivered a speech on the theme for the celebration, called for a massive advocacy and public education outreach on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) via radio, television and print media, particularly on breast cancer awareness.

Prof. Boadu was optimistic that the financial burden on government and individuals, with respect to breast cancer treatment will reduce if health journalists and other media persons, as well as other groups such as Market women are thoroughly educated on NCDs to ensure early diagnosis.

She finally called for an increase in the number of regional and selected district hospitals for cervical cancer screening services.

The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI) has advanced plans to regulate private partnership deals with state research institutions.

The development is aimed at ensuring that the state retains ownership of findings after a research activity.

The special assistant to the Minister of MESTI, Mr. Oliver Boakye, disclosed this on his recent working visit to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), on behalf of his boss, Prof. Frimpong Boateng.

Shedding light on challenges that may arise regarding scientific research, the Director of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute (BNARI), Prof. Kenneth Ellis Danso, noted that inadequate funds for research is having a toll on the activities of GAEC.

He lamented that findings arrived at, after a research works, become the assets of funding agencies. He described the situation as unfortunate.

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute is into Plant tissue culture, that is, the production or multiplication of plants in large quantities using various parts of the plant.
The Minister’s Special Assistant, Mr. Boakye, noted that MESTI is working on a regulatory framework to ensure that all partnership deals with GAEC regarding research is properly negotiated to ensure a win – win situation.

According to him, the state must derive enormous benefits from research conducted by its research institutions. This he said will bring value to the country in the area of science and technology

Mr. Boakye hinted that Government through MESTI, would consider providing research funds to GAEC and other state research institutions to ensure that research findings are solely owned by the state. He added that private agencies and individuals would have to consult the Ministry regarding partnerships into specific areas of research.

He lauded the efforts of GAEC for making several research breakthroughs (eg, High beta carotene cassava, high yielding yams, and fall army worm breakthroughs) that solve societal problems. He charged Directors of the Commission to insist on achieving results, irrespective of their challenges.

Mr. Boakye toured the GAEC Compost Plant, The Gamma Irradiation Facility, Tissue Culture laboratory among others for firsthand information.

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) in partnership with the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) have begun a Training programme for electronic technicians at the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS), Legon Accra.

The initiative known as the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) Voucher Project (GTVP) was financed by the Dutch Government to help build the capacity of Ghana’s informal sector labour force in the field of electronics.

A total of 40 informal sector workers (Electronic Technicians) were admitted for the first phase of the programme that will last from November 13, 2017 to April 13, 2018.

As part of the activities, participants will be given Competency Base Training (CBT) in Electronics and other Generic courses such as Science, Mathematics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), English and Entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the orientation ceremony, the Director General of GAEC, Prof. Benjamin Nyarko commended the initiative saying, the move will create room for beneficiaries to handle jobs at the international level. He stressed that lack of professionalism and proper training in the system is crippling the informal sector.

He further commended the programme facilitators for including courses like Science, Mathematics, English and ICT and entrepreneurship. He was convinced that the initiative will help participants to easily integrate into the formal sector with such training.

Mr. Isaac Boateng of the Ghana TVET Voucher project lauded GAEC’s commitment to provide qualified facilitators and ultramodern classrooms to train the participants.

Mr. Boateng was thankful to the German Government and COTVET for introducing GTVP to impart professional knowledge to the informal sector workers.

He advised the participants to take the programme serious in order to transform the informal sector with the acquired knowledge

The Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) Prof. Benjamin Nyarko has challenged scientists to be truthful to consumers on the actual source of solar energy.

He made the call at the Grand Durbar of the Africa Renaissance Day Celebration held in Accra.

This day was set aside by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU) to remind African governments and people about the critical roles played by Science and Technology in national development.

The Director General disclosed that Solar Energy that is classified under renewable energy was as a result of nuclear reaction from the sun.

Prof. Nyarko who expressed disappointment at the low turnout of scientists as against non-scientists stressed that the inability of nuclear scientists to share their stories has resulted in the negative image created for nuclear technology.

According to him, ‘the challenge confronted by most scientists is either they are too busy with what they are doing or they are doing nothing and cannot do anything.’

He acknowledged that the first energy experienced in the world is the sun energy, which produces a nuclear reaction called nuclear fusion. ‘The hydrogen atom in the sun comes together to form helium and the vast heat energy and light and that is what the renewables are tapping and they call it renewable energy’ he explained. He stressed that the actual source of the renewable energy is from nuclear reaction.

To his disappointment, the real scientific process has been kept away from public domain hence creating a notion that solar energy is better compared to nuclear energy.

He charged all Nuclear and Space scientists to move out of their shells and spread the good news about nuclear technology. He added that, in the absence of this, technologies such as Nuclear, Biotechnology, Mutation breeding among others will continue to suffer condemnation.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has joined other African states to commemorate the 2017 edition of the Africa Scientific Renaissance Day celebration.

Under the theme ‘Promoting Science Technology and Innovations (STI) for Sustainable National Development’, the week-long ceremony held in Accra was hosted by GAEC with support from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and Rite FM.

Various activities including an open day Quiz Competition for Second Cycle Institutions, Seminar Presentations, a trip to Kuntunse National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a grand Durbar and an Exhibition marked the occasion.

The Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU) in 1987 passed a resolution for the annual celebration of Africa Scientific Renaissance on 30^th June.

The core objective of the celebration is to remind African governments and people about the critical roles played by Science and Technology in national development.

This is also done in remembrance of the continent’s great contribution to the rise and development of modern Science and Technology.

Speaking at the grand durbar, the Director General of CSIR who doubles as chairman for the occasion Dr. Victor Agyeman lamented that expenditure on some key drivers of the country’s economy such as Science and Mathematics stands at 5.4 percent as against 40 percent expenditure on medical sciences.

He advised that Ghana must reconsider the amount pumped into Science and also reconsider the areas in order to make impact in economic development.

The Director General of GAEC, Prof. Benjamin Nyarko, in a keynote address read on behalf of the Minister of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI) advised that Science and Mathematics be taken serious in order to meet the demands of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

He disclosed that the Ministry intends to strengthen collaborations among industries, Universities and Research Centers to promote the commercialization of scientific research output.

He called on all research institutions including GAEC and the CSIR to foster close collaboration at institutional level in order to maximize research output.

The GAEC choir graced the occasion with sweet melodies coupled with a colourful cultural display and brass band music from the GAEC Basic School pupils.

The ceremony was climaxed with an exhibition of products from GAEC and CSIR.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey

The Director of Administration at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) Mr. Felix Adiku has described Nuclear Power as a necessity for accelerated growth and sustainable energy in Ghana.

The DOA made this submission at the open day ceremony of the Africa Scientific Renaissance Day Celebrations held in Accra.

The Africa Scientific Renaissance Day is a day set-aside by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now the African Union (AU), to remind African governments and people about the critical roles played by Science and Technology in national development.

According to Mr. Adiku, as GAEC has the sole mandate of advising government on matters relating to nuclear energy as well as science and technology the commission will not relent in its efforts to ensure accelerated growth and sustainable energy.

He said, among several achievements, GAEC has successfully operated a Research Reactor for almost twenty years with clean records. He added that, this achievement together with advances in modern nuclear safety technologies, places the commission at a position to operate a power reactor successfully.

He acknowledged that the establishment of the graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) and collaborations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other strategic international agencies have helped train the requisite manpower needed to successfully operate, maintain and decommission a nuclear power plant.

He expressed joy at the establishment of the Ghana Nuclear Power Organization (GNPO), which is to ensure the implementation of the nuclear power programme together with the Ministry of Energy, Energy Commission, Volta River Authority (VRA), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. He described the move as a demonstration of Ghana’s readiness to operate its first Nuclear Power Plant.

He called on all stakeholders and the general public to ignore negative perceptions about nuclear power but rather embrace the technology for accelerated growth and sustainable energy.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey

By: Thykingdom Kudesey

A team of Nuclear Scientists from Kenya to Ghana have loaded Ghana’s political will to support the Nuclear Power Programme as part of efforts to ensure access to affordable, sustainable and modern energy.

The 9 member delegation that paid a scientific visit to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) represented various Kenyan institutions including Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB), Kenyatta University (KU), Kenya bureau Board (KeBS), Kenya Industrial Research Development Institute (KIRDS) and the National Commission for Science Technology and Innovations (NACOTI).

The visit was under the RAF: 0047 initiative by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which is aimed at “Promoting sustainability and networking of National Nuclear Institutes for development.”

In a report presented to the Commission after a week of training, the team of scientists commended GAEC for developing a good roadmap for Ghana’s Nuclear Power Programme. They expressed joy at the political will and Government’s support towards ensuring access to affordable, sustainable and modern energy as per goal 7 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

It further commended GAEC for employing young and vibrant scientists to manage the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI).

The report acknowledged that, GAEC’s Sustainable Action Plan (SAP) addresses all field of nuclear science under the Commission unlike Kenya where management of different areas of application of Nuclear Science and Technology is not linked directly to NACOSTI.

The establishment of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) as an independent supervisory body was also captured in the report. It stressed that, this has helped in the development of an Action Plan based on the Nuclear Regulatory Act to prepare and circulate the required regulations and guidelines for nuclear applications.

“NRA has ratified several key treaties dealing with nuclear security, safety and safeguards” it stated.

The finally recommended that GAEC establishes an exchange visit with partner countries including Kenya, to learn or share experiences on nuclear application and strengthen collaboration initiatives.

It advised the commission to patent innovations and technologies generated prior to publishing and dissemination

The report also called for the need to create collaborations to maximize the use of human and infrastructural resources available at GAEC.