GAEC Partners SDF to Train Professionals in Radiation Safety

The Radiation Protection Institute (RPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) with support from the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Ghana, has carried out a 3-day radiation safety-training programme for selected Radiofrequency professionals in the telecommunication industry.

The core objective of the course was to implement radiation training and certification modules to effectively protect humans and the environment from radiation hazards.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the RPI conference room in Accra Ghana, to officially open the training programme, and welcome all participants selected from private and government institutions, the Deputy Director General of GAEC, Prof. Shiloh Osae, stressed on the need to ensure safety especially in the radiation industry

Prof. Shiloh took his time to educate all the participants on GAEC’s core activities and their impact on national development. He urged them to erase all their erroneous perceptions about GAEC being a manufacturer of bombs and spread the word about the cutting edge science going on. He added that the commission’s research activities provide solutions to many sectors of the Ghanaian economy.

In a short address to the participants, the Deputy Director of RPI, Dr. Joseph Kwabena Amoako, disclosed that the goal of the programme is to collaborate with local and international experts to develop an internationally recognized competency-based curriculum to train professionals involved in the use of radiation.

He added that the initiative is also to train industry players to avoid potentially hazardous exposures to radiation from radioactive sources and Radiofrequency (RF) fields. “This will ensure that certified trainees can use the internationally recognized certification anywhere”, he disclosed.

The participants were taken through various subjects including Radio Frequency (RF) Site Safety, Types of RF Radiation, Introduction to Antennas and RF sources and Radiation Safety Assessment. Other areas covered include RF Safety Regulations and Standards.

The initial beneficiaries of the programme include selected officers from the Signal Unit of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), The National Communication Authority, Vodafone Ghana Limited, Helios Towers Ghana Limited and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

By: Thykingdom Kudesey – Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA), GAEC

“Africa Cannot Afford a Nuclear Accident” – Director- General, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission

The Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof B.J.B. Nyarko has called for maximum attention on Safety, Security and Safeguards in the use of Nuclear Technology in Africa.

Prof. Nyarko made the call in a ceremony held at the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS), GAEC, in Accra Ghana, to welcome the 8thbatch of the annual Post Graduate Education Course (PGEC) in Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources for participants from English speaking African countries, under the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA)

The participants, numbering 22 comprising eight females and 14 males were selected from countries including Ghana, Egypt, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Botswana, Libya, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Namibia and South Africa.

According to Prof Nyarko, safety issues in Africa are unique due to the negative connotations associated with accidents. He stated that accidents in Africa are usually blamed on incompetence, lack of technical know-how as well as inadequate capacity building programmes, whereas similar accidents by countries in other regions are usually treated as genuine faults.

“This puts Africa in a unique position to work harder to avoid these accidents”, he said.

The programme according to him was developed under the regional corporative framework for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology to tackle areas such as Health, Agriculture and Environment as well as Safety and Security, especially for countries embarking on Nuclear Power Programmes.

He stressed on the need to avoid making mistakes in nuclear applications in order to place Africa in a positive light. He advised the participants to take their lessons seriously so as to achieve the desired standards in safety, security, and safeguards as well as peaceful applications of Nuclear Technology in Africa.

“You cannot do the same thing always and expect a different result, you need to change and have better ways of doing those things to achieve the required results”, he said.

He commended the AFRA Technical Cooperation (TC) member states for committing a total of four hundred thousand Euros (€ 400,000) to sponsor beneficiaries from within the African Sub-region.

The Director and Dean for the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) Prof. Yaw Serfor- Armah, in his address, entreated the students to strictly adhere to the safety regulations by the school.

He finally welcomed them and advised that they take full advantage to this glorious opportunity given them and take their training programme seriously.

The five months training programme commenced on 1st April, 2019 and scheduled to end 23rd August 2019.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey – Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA), GAEC

The Future of Agriculture in Ghana

Picture: Dr Kwamina Banson (middle, with black shirt) explains a point to two farmers working at the demonstration fields.

 

Food. It’s the most basic of human needs and two doctors from Ghana, who earned their PhDs while studying in Australia, are working to address the critical issue of food productivity.

Dr Kwamina Banson and Dr Andrew Appiah are revolutionising how technology can address hunger and food nutrition in their home country. In doing so, they’re supporting the world’s goal to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (United Nations, Sustainable Development Goal 2).

Through their work at the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) with the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), the doctors are applying science on several fronts, including to improve plant variability, combat pests and diseases, increase production and safeguard food safety and authenticity.

The work is challenging since many who live in Ghana depend on traditional or linear approaches to farming.

Dr Banson, with his Doctor of Philosophy (Business) from the University of Adelaide, is tackling this through his advanced understanding of a ‘systems-thinking approach’. Applying a holistic perspective, Dr Banson, Head of Technology Transfer at BNARI, is identifying factors and processes that shape and constrain traditional farming systems. He is also developing solutions to enhance productivity and make farming sustainable.

“My interventions attempt to increase genetic variability of plants that are resistant to vector or disease, thereby increasing their value,” Dr Banson says.

On a separate but connected project, Dr Appiah, Plant Virologist at BNARI, is identifying the root causes of decreased food production. The skills on plant disease diagnostics he gained while earning his Doctor of Philosophy (Agricultural Science, major in plant virology) from the University of Tasmania, have been critical to this work.

“I use technology to effectively screen peanuts for resistance and have introduced four resistant varieties to farmers,” says Dr Appiah, who is also screening dozens of variants of cassava and pepper to identify resistant strains.

With Africa’s population projected to hit 1.7 billion people by 2030 (United Nations), investing in innovative technologies and practices, such as those practised by Dr Banson and Dr Appiah, are going a long way in boosting food production and strengthening Ghana’s ability to achieve food security.

The doctors have received considerable support for their catalytic initiatives. The GAEC, for example, has provided them with 200 acres of land as demonstration fields. The land is being used by 200 farmers to grow new high-yielding strains of cocoa and cassava. Another 300 farmers are hiring or using their land as demonstration farms to grow seeds supplied by Dr Banson and Dr Appiah.

Initiatives like these will take the world a long way to achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.

Source: ustraliaawardsafrica.org

UCC Students Honor Ghana Atomic Energy Commission

Representatives of the Department of Laboratory Technology, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana, presented a citation to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) during their tour of GAEC facilities.

Augustine Atta, a Senior Research Assistant, who led the students said the gesture was in appreciation of GAEC’s Commitment to help build their practical knowledge and capacity in Laboratory Technology.

According to him, unlike other Institutes which rarely paid attention to their requests for visits, GAEC has constantly dedicated time and resources to educate them on their educational tours to the Commission.

“This is the time to show how grateful the entire UCC Department of Laboratory Technology staff and students are”, he added.

Presenting the citation on behalf of the students present (numbering about 80), Miss Juliana Amoah, another Senior Research Assistant of the Department, was hopeful that GAEC would offer more opportunities to their students to help in their practical knowledge.

She appealed to the Commission to consider more students from her Department for internship and possibly for employment if need be. She also thanked the authorities of GAEC for dedicating time and resources to them during their educational visits.

Receiving the citation on behalf of the Commission, James Kuofie a staff of the Human Resource Department, GAEC, expressed joy for the gesture. According to him the UCC Department of Laboratory Technology group is among the few who have shown gratitude towards GAEC’s immense support to Ghana’s educational sector.

He was optimistic that GAEC will continue to offer untiring support to students from all educational institutions and other stakeholders who knock at our doors.

The students spent the entire day touring key GAEC facilities to acquaint themselves with the activities of the Commission and learn some practical laboratory activities.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey – Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA), GAEC

Atomic Energy Commission’s Anti Malaria Initiative Interrupted by ECG Power Cut – Prof Frimpong-Boateng

A five-year investment into a research initiative to breed anti-malaria mosquitoes by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) was curtailed by the disconnection of electricity to the Commission by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in 2015.

The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, told the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) sitting on Monday that, the ECG cut off the power because of indebtedness, which killed all the mosquitoes and thwarted years of investment.

He explained that when the female Anopheles mosquitoes, which were nurtured at the radiation facility, mated with male mosquitoes, their offsprings would not have malaria parasites.

“I remember a few years back when the GAEC decided to go into the management of malaria. They (GAEC) had a laboratory and a radiator in which female Anopheles mosquitoes were kept.

“The idea of the research was that, we radiate them (the female mosquitoes). After the radiation experiment, we release them on the fields to mate with the males and their offsprings will not be able to transmit malaria.

“Just at the tale end of that experiment, the GAEC owed ECG and somebody was brave enough to go and turn off the light and kill all the mosquitoes. So we lost years of painful experiment. That is how they lost their investment”, he said.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng supported by the Director General of the GAEC, Prof Benjamin Nyarko, and other directors of the Commission were at PAC sitting to answer queries raised about the Commission and its affiliates in the 2016 Auditor General’s report.

Research Fund

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said the GAEC could be supported to carry out its research activities only when it received increased funding for research.

In that regard, he said the Cabinet had given approval for one per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to be dedicated to research.

He expressed the hope Parliament would approve the allocation of the one per cent of GDP to support research activities in the country.

Nuclear programme

Answering a question on the country’s plans to develop nuclear energy for power generation, Professor Frimpong-Boateng said Ghana was one of the third world countries with capacity to develop nuclear energy for power generation as the country had the needed capacity and laws on nuclear energy.

He said the country had gone through the first phase and was at the tale end of the second phase in the implementation of the nuclear programme.

“We have to go through a process outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). If there is any third world country that can do it, then it is Ghana. In terms of capacity, we have the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences and the Nuclear Regulatory Agency. We have the necessary laws and training to be able to do that”, he said.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said the Cabinet had released $300,000 to the Ministry for the determination of a site for the setting up of a nuclear reactor for power generation.

“They (the GAEC) have done some studies and they have three potential sites. The final determination will be made”, he said.

For his part, the Director General of the GAEC, Prof Benjamin Nyarko said the target was for Ghana to complete the development of its nuclear facility for power generation by 2029.

He said once the initial processes with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were completed, it would take between five to six years for the nuclear reactor facility to be developed.

Source: ghanaweb.com

Ghana Records an Increased Number of Women in Nuclear Science

“The number of women in the field of Nuclear Science and Technology in Ghana has increased progressively over the past years”.

This was disclosed by Prof. Mary Boadu, Director of the Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), at a ceremony held in Accra by the GAEC Ladies Association to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD).

Prof. Boadu, who doubles as the President of GAEC Ladies Association disclosed that a total of 243 females have been trained at M.Phil and seven (7) at Ph.D levels, by the graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS), University of Ghana, since its establishment in 2006. The school is one of Africa’s few institutions specialized in the training of Nuclear Scientists.

She also disclosed that GAEC has seen a steady increase in women engagement in various fields of expertise in its laboratories since the establishment of the Commission in 1963 by Act 204.

According to her, the current female staff strength at GAEC stands at approximately 300, which she described as an all-time high since the establishment of the Commission. “Currently, there are more females with Ph.D degrees at post than ever before, and the number is hoped to increase even more in the near future”.

Prof. Boadu expressed confidence that today’s woman is no longer a dependent soul but an independent and self-reliant person in every respect, capable of doing everything under the right conditions. “We therefore want to recognize the importance of our existence as women and motivate ourselves for future development”, she added.

She urged women to forge ahead with renewed determination and enthusiasm to achieve their set goals and objectives in building mother Ghana.

Finally, she called on all women to strive for balance by working together with their male colleagues in all fields of endeavor.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey – Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA), GAEC

National Nuclear Research Institute, GAEC initiate moves for Intensive Public Education

A team from the National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI), of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), have engaged the Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA), GAEC, to commence a video documentary series as part of measures to make known their research findings and its impact on society.

The meeting that took place on Wednesday February 27 at the Nuclear Chemistry and Environmental Research Center saw in attendance the Center Managers, Research Scientists, and the NNRI communication team including the Head of the Scientific Information and Technology Transfer Unit (SITTU). Also present was the Deputy Director of the Institute, Dr. JK Gbadago to grace the occasion.

Giving the opening remarks, the chairman of the NNRI communication team, Dr. Bright Sogbey, said the meeting was very important to usher in a new way to reach the public through a high quality videos to help promote the activities of NNRI.

He stressed on the importance of the meeting to help all the Center Managers and Heads of Consultancy groups, carry a single voice in the presentation of the activities of their Centers.

The Deputy Director of NNRI, Dr. JK Gbadago, in a statement assured the gathering that the public sensitization activities being embarked on by the Institute has the full support of the Management Board. “We will ensure that all the videos produced are scrutinized to guarantee that they present the true image of the Institute”, he added. Dr. Gbadago opined that the goal of this public sensitization drive should be in consonance with the overriding objectives set by the Institute. “Identify national needs and provide appropriate solutions linked to our facilities”, he explained.

The Head of Office of Corporate and Public Affairs, Mr. Mark Kwasi Sarfo, hinted that the Commission is now towing a slightly different way of publicizing their activities. “We have in the past focused on mainly talking about our activities without necessarily relating these activities to specific problems of the society and how we can solve them. The new trend now in our video productions is to identify particular problems affecting people’s lives and how we as a Commission or a Center for that matter can solve it”, he said.

Mr. Sarfo expressed gratitude to management of NNRI for this novel idea of having an Institute communication team to work hand-in-hand with the OCPA in publicizing the activities of the Institute and the Commission as a whole.

He also thanked the NNRI communication team for the opportunity.

Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA)-GAEC

12 Undergo Successful Radiation Protection and Safety Training at GAEC.

A group of officers from Amandi Investment Limited, specialized in Civil and Marine-Engineering solutions have successfully undergone Radiation Protection and Safety Training at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).

The weeklong programme that was hosted by the Radiation Protection Institute (RPI) of GAEC, sought to equip the twelve on safety, movement control and administrative procedures of radioactive materials and potential health hazards associated with ionizing radiations, among others.

The Manager of the Radiation Protection Training and Consultancy Centre of RPI, Dr. Stephen Inkoom, expressed joy at the success of the programme and disclosed that participants were taken through areas such as, Nuclear Gauges, Types of Radiation Exposures, Radiation Quantities and Units, National and InternationalLegal Frameworks for the Control of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials. These frameworks include the new provisions of the International Basic Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Requirements of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Ghana (Act 895 of 2015).

According to him, regulatory requirements of the NRA, under NRA Act 895 of 2015 requires that Radiation Protection Officers (RPOs) and Qualified Operators/Personnel operating with radiation sources shall have appropriate training and relevant experiencein Radiation Protection and Safety.

Also, participants were trained in Potential Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation,Basic Principles of Radiation Protection,Importance of Dose Limitation, Personnel Monitoring at the Workplace, Use of Survey Meters and Contamination Monitors, and Emergency Preparedness and Response to Nuclear/Radiological Emergencies.

Dr. Inkoom further explained that the training course specifically equipped the RPOs and Qualified Operators/Staffof Amandi Investments Limitedwith the requisite knowledge and skills on how to safely utilize Troxler (a Nuclear Moisture Density Gauge) for Quality and Process Control in their Engineering and Construction works.

Dr. Inkoom was confident that his outfit would continue to build the capacity of RPOs and Qualified Operators/Staff for industries in Ghana and across Africa for radiationprotection andsafety. He urged management of institutions that utilize radiation emitting devices and radioactive sources to consider regular refresher courses for their RPOs in order to be at par with modern trends and technologies in radiationprotection andsafety.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey, Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA) – GAEC

Atomic Energy Commission Holds Management Sensitization Workshop on it’s Corporate Strategic Plan (CSP)

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) as part of its quest to develop personnel capacity and attain organizational set goals has organized a two-day workshop for management.

The main objective was to equip management with modern and effective ways to discharge their duties in order to meet the set targets for the five-years Corporate Strategic Plan (CSP – 2017-2021)

The workshop was attended by Directors of Institute, Centre/Departmental Managers, Sectional Heads and other Senior Management staff.

As part of activities, presentations from some Departments including; Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E), Human Resource, Finance and Corporate Affairs were made.There were focus group discussions on some topical issues from the presentations to chart a single course for the Commission.

Addressing the gathering, the Director General of GAEC, Prof. BJB Nyarko, who spoke passionately, drummed home the need for extra efforts by management to help achieve the commission’s set objectives in the CSP. He said, times have changed and management must learn new ways of discharging their duties in order to achieve results.

Prof. Nyarko advised management to set good targets for their subordinates and ensure strict supervision in order to achieve the set targets. “Though times are hard with regards to finances, we are also working tirelessly to ensure that the basic facilities needed for these jobs to be done are made available”, he added.

He disclosed that plans are underway to seek a Presidential chatter for the upgrade of the graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) to a fully-fledged University, which is part of the five year projection.

The Human Resource Manager of GAEC, Mr. Maxwell Nyarko, who spoke in an interview expressed joy at the turn-up and success of the programme.

According to him, the HR Department will ensure that similar workshops are organized for senior and junior staff in order to help them adjust to the changing times. “This will help them understand the need to meet targets and deadlines to help achieve organizational objectives”, he added.

Finally, he urged all GAEC staff to maintain their positive attitude towards work to help move the Commission forward.

By: Thykingdom Kudesey – Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA) -GAEC

GAEC Donates to the Weija Leprosarium

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has donated food items and toiletries to the Weija leprosarium in Accra.

The items include bags of rice, tubers of yam, gallons of cocking oil among others. The gesture according to the Deputy Director General of GAEC, Prof. Shiloh Osae is part of the commission’s annual activity to contribute its quota to the less privileged in the society.

In a short ceremony to welcome representatives from GAEC, Mr. Fred Quansah, the Administrator of the Leprosarium, who stood in for Rev. Father Andrew Campbell, Chairman of the Lepers Aid Committee expressed his profound gratitude to the Commission for its continued support.

He assured that stringent measures have been put in place to ensure that all items donated are given to the inmates.

Mr. Quansah further disclosed that the inmates undertake considerable farming activities to augment donations they receive from organizations and other philanthropists.

The Deputy Director General of GAEC, Prof. Shiloh Osae, in a short address encouraged the inmate to have continues faith in God. “God who created every person will heal you and also provide all your needs”, he stated.

He assured them of GAEC’s relentless support for the leprosarium.

Also present at the donation were the Director of Administration GAEC, Mr. Felix Adeku and representatives of GAEC Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA).

The Prefect of the lepers, Madam Gladys Adobea, who received the items, was thankful to the Commission for the support.

By: Mark Sarfo (Office of Corporate and Public Affairs – GAEC)