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The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is set to inaugurate an experimental hut station for innovative research in managing malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in a rural community in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

The experimental hut station, which is located at Atatem in the Adansi Asokwa District, is a simplified model of an indigenous home, built to World Health Organization (WHO) standards that will allow researchers to test the efficacy of insecticides used in indoor residual spray (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to kill disease vectors such as Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus.

The Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Osae, made this known yesterday when he interacted with communication personnel to announce a host of activities earmarked for the 2023 annual GAEC-BNARI Malaria Awareness Campaign (MAC-2023) slated for 9th May 2023.

According to Dr. Osae, the decision to establish the hut in the Atatem community stems from prior research, which indicates that mosquito vectors of malaria are prevalent and highly resistant to insecticides. Premised on this fact, he said there is a good foundation for siting the experimental hut to test new vector control tools being developed against resistant vectors.

“Mosquito nets would be hung in the experimental hut to collect mosquitoes for the test. The mosquitoes will then be examined to determine the effectiveness of vector control tools like treated nets and insecticide sprays,” he added.

Dr. Osae stated that the experimental hut station is a highly effective way to eliminate non-responsive control measures and validate new and appropriate interventions to help control disease-transmitting mosquitoes.

“This project was established in collaboration with the Center for Research in Infectious Diseases in Cameroon through a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grants. The Center for Research in Infectious Diseases of Cameroon were awarded a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant to study mosquito insecticide resistance and its impact on vector control tools across Africa. The participation of Ghana in the project enabled GAEC to be given a sub-grant to carry out this component,” he added.

Shedding light on some key activities of the awareness campaign, Dr Osae said that apart from the commissioning of the experimental hut station, there would be an awareness talk to educate community members in Atatem and its environs on malaria prevention and control.

He also indicated that there would be a free health screening exercise and distribution of free mosquito repellents for residents.

By: CPRC/CCD, GAEC

The GAEC in partnership with the European Union, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have organized a 3-day workshop on organized criminal activities using Nuclear and other Technologies in Accra.

The workshop was focused on the Prevention, Detection and Response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Terrorism.  It was designed to discuss the role that technology solutions play on organized criminal activities that breach the integrity of the supply chain. With particular emphasis on collecting feedback from CBRN experts, law enforcers, forensic and supply chain technology experts.

It was also to help identify needs of operators in the field and the ways in which technology can support their activities for the monitoring, prevention and investigation of illegal activities related to CBRN terrorism and criminal infiltrations of the supply chain.

The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, who gave the keynote address, noted that in the west African sub-region, organized criminal activities are known to have had influences in fake medicines, illegal mining, illegal fishing, fuel adulteration and smuggling sectors.

“Left unresolved, the threats posed by these activities can have devastating consequences not only in terms of human lives, but also in terms of economic and social stability”, he added.

The Minister emphasized that prevention is the foremost objective in the fight against malicious or criminal activities involving CBRN. “It is the key to addressing the threats posed by CBRN terrorism and organized criminal activities” he added.

He indicated that technologies such as radiation detection systems, biometric scanners, and chemical sensors can be deployed around the world as one of the most effective ways to prevent these threats.

Dr. Kwaku Afriyie added that detection and response which involves the use of technologies such as remote sensing, imaging systems, and mobile laboratories as well as drones, robots, and autonomous vehicles can be used to respond to threats quickly and safely in areas that are difficult to access.

He concluded by saying that Ghana’s efforts to prevent, detect and respond to organized crime requires technology and proactive collaboration between government agencies, private industry, civil society organizations and academic and research institutions.

The Deputy Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Prof. Dickson Adomako, who represented the Director General, Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, said that Ghana has a rich history with the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency on collaborations to drive research, development, human resource capacity building and safety and security matters.

“We are therefore happy to be hosting this 3-day United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute workshop, which has brought together experts from around the world” he added.

Prof. Adomako revealed that the prospect of non-state actors including terrorists gaining access to and using Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear materials is a serious threat to international peace and security.

“The activities of such groups are on the rise and more effort is needed to address this kind of injustice to humanity” he said.

He was particularly happy that this workshop is being organized in Ghana to discuss measures to curtail these criminal activities due to reports of the ascendency of terrorism and organized crime activities in Africa.

“I know that experts will give us more examples of CBRN terrorism and organized crime activities during this workshop” he added.

Participants were drawn from Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone with particular emphasis on CBRN terrorism experts as well as customs and law enforcement officers with expertise on different forms of illicit trade (related to trafficking in illicit pesticides, fuel frauds, precious metals trafficking, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forensic and supply chain technology experts.

By: Communication and Public Relations Center, GAEC

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has launched the maiden edition of the Cassava Week Celebration to promote the value of cassava cultivation and utilization in Ghana.

The week celebration, which is on the theme: “Cassava – Ghana’s Golden Root for Economic Transformation’’ is aimed at raising awareness amongst Ghanaians regarding the rich diversity and benefits of the cassava crop. It is scheduled to take place from the 13^th  – 16^th of June 2023 at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Accra and the Innovation Village Foundation at Anormawobi in the Central Region.

In a speech read by the Director of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute, Prof. Shiloh Osae, on behalf of the Director General of GAEC, Prof. Samuel Dampare, he emphasised that this programme was part of GAEC’s efforts to support the government of Ghana for the utilization of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) to improve cassava varieties for national development. “Whiles research works are endless, the rate of adoption and utilization of the technologies developed needs to be improved in Ghana”, he added.

In his keynote address, the Managing Director of Ayensu Starch Company Limited, Mr. Evans Kwame Ayim, noted that more than 70 % of farmers in Ghana are involved in the production of cassava, making it a significant root crop in the country’s agricultural system.

He stated that cassava is a major source of carbohydrates for most people in Ghana, as well as a regular source of income for most rural dwellers.

According to Mr. Ayim, although cassava is mostly thought of as a food crop, encouraging local processing and consumption of cassava-based products will generate income for households and create jobs for the Ghanaian economy.

“The potential of cassava as an industrial crop cannot be overemphasized. Ghana’s economy stands to benefit greatly if steps are taken to industrialize cassava. Cassava can be processed into starch, ethanol, high maltose syrup, etc”, he revealed.

He also added that Globally the starch industry is worth over $97billion US Dollars which the country can take advantage of..

Mr. Ayim expressed appreciation for BNARI’s research initiatives which have yielded significant results in the development of high yielding cassava varieties for farmers.

“BNARI in collaboration with University of Cape Coast, has released to farmers, five high yielding cassava varieties namely Nyonku agbeli, Kponu agbeli, Fufuhene bankye, Ampesihema bankye and Tetteh bankye. However, these varieties have not been adopted widely by farmers due to inadequate publicity and unavailability of planting materials. Hence, the expected socioeconomic impact on farmers have not been realized” he said.

He urged BNARI to form partnerships with industry players that will make their cassava varieties available and accessible to farmers, allowing them to produce enough raw materials for Ghana’s few cassava processing factories as well as the local market.

On his part, the Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Osae stated that Cassava has the potential to transform Ghana’s economy because it can be used in sectors like the pharmaceutical, beverage, and textile industries.

He stated that the Institute chose to emphasize cassava in honour of its 30th anniversary to highlight BNARI technologies and innovations in the cassava value chain.

“BNARI has developed technologies such as Mutation Breeding for breeding new varieties of cassava and other crops, soil moisture and nutrient management, crop and pest disease management which are technologies that can be applied to improve cassava production. We have also worked on fortifying gari with micronutrients and soybeans to develop a soybean-gari blend known as “proGari” he added.

The Keynote speaker later launched the Cassava Week Celebration followed by an exhibition event to showcase the various BNARI products and technologies.

CPRC/CCD

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is collaborating with the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) to facilitate the large-scale production and cultivation of a medicinal plant for rheumatoid arthritis.

Capparis erythrocarpos Isert is an important medicinal plant used to produce “Sirrapac”, a herbal product for the management of the disease.

The partnership calls for GAEC’s Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) to develop protocols for multiplying some recalcitrant medicinal plants using tissue culture technology.

The Director-General of GAEC, Prof Samuel B. Dampare expressed confidence that this project will address an important limitation in the production of such herbal plant medicine, which is the scarcity of the plant raw material due to urbanization and deforestation of natural habitats.

In an interview with staff of the Communication and Public Relations Centre (CPRC), the Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Osae stated that tissue culture technology can be used to produce high quality and disease-free planting materials of crops and medicinal plants.

He said that BNARI and CPMR have been in discussions on how to leverage biotechnologies such as tissue culture for rapid and large-scale multiplication of important medicinal plants that are on the verge of extinction but critical to CPMR’s work.

Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), BNARI will initially develop tissue culture protocols for the large-scale production of Capparis erythrocarpos planting materials to aid establishment of plantation by CPMR” he said.

According to Dr. Wilfred Elegba, a Senior Research Scientist at the Biotechnology Centre of BNARI, the Capparis plant has useful medicinal properties that can treat rheumatoid arthritis.

He mentioned that the Centre for Plant Medicine Research has a herbal medicine product, “Sirrapac”. However, the CPMR is unable to meet the demand for “Sirrapac” due to insufficient quantities of the plant raw material for production.

“With BNARI’s nearly 30 years of experience in the development of plant tissue culture protocols for mass production of clean planting materials for food crops such as plantain, pineapple, sweet potato, sugarcane and medicinal plants such as Aframomum melegueta (alligator pepper) and Phyllantus niruri (Awommaa guwakyi), we look forward to assisting the Centre in expanding their production” he added.

On his part, the Executive Director of the Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Prof. Alex Asase expressed his profound gratitude to GAEC for its efforts in making the collaboration a reality.

He stated that through this collaboration, CPMR and GAEC will work to ensure the sustainability and availability of medicinal plants that are essential to the Centre’s work.

CPRC/CCD

Research conducted by the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has revealed that 25% of mosquito breeding sites in the Kwabenya area are home to Anopheles mosquitos, the main vectors of malaria.

Breeding sites around GAEC Community, Kwabenya-Musuku, Narhman (Bohye), and Kwabenya itself are among the 25% identified.

The Director of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Dr. Michael Osae, made this known when he shared the findings with the students and teachers of GAEC Basic School at GAEC’s annual Malaria Awareness Campaign at Kwabenya in Accra.

The research exercise began on April 28, 2022, and ended on May 10, 2022, as part of the one-month-long activities that marked the 2022 edition of the Malaria Awareness Campaign, which ended on May 31, 2022, with a public lecture on “Malaria and Malaria Mosquitoes”.

According to Dr. Osae, the study shows that the residents of Kwabenya and its environs are at risk of malaria because the mosquito species identified are competent vectors of human malaria.

“The remaining 75% of breeding sites were home to Culex and Aedes mosquitoes, also known as nuisance mosquitoes, which do not transmit malaria but do transmit other diseases that are not present in the country. They can, however, transmit yellow fever,” he explained.

Dr. Osae, therefore, recommended that residents of Kwabenya desilt the gutters, spray the mosquito breeding sites to kill the mosquito larvae, and, where applicable, get rid of the mosquito breeding sites entirely.

In another study conducted by BNARI during the same period on mosquito net ownership and usage in the Kwabenya community, Dr. Osae said it was found that 51% of the people do not have treated nets and only 63% of those who do sleep under them.

“We must all change our attitude towards how we think about mosquitoes and malaria. Your treated mosquito nets are not meant to fence your hencoop; please sleep in them to prevent malaria,” he stressed.

Speaking on the theme for the campaign “Harness Innovation to Reduce Malaria Disease Burden and Save Lives,” Dr. Osae said innovations have led to the development of a World Health Organization-approved Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets, which he described as “one of the best ways of preventing malaria as the net establishes a physical and chemical barrier against mosquitoes.”

On her part, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Hon. Elizabeth Kaakie Mann, said malaria remains a life-threatening disease, causing more than one million deaths each year.

She urged the public to avoid mosquito bites and reduce their risk of contracting malaria by keeping their surroundings clean and sleeping under treated mosquito nets.

“I will also recommend, especially to those who have not signed onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to do so as soon as possible since the scheme provides cover for malaria services at a low cost for holders of an NHIS card,” she added.

The campaign is an annual event that is aimed at empowering communities toward malaria prevention and control and helping solve the problem of malaria through research-driven solutions.

By Exornam Awudi & Raymond K. Baxey, CPRC/CCDContinue reading

Dr. Chantara Thevy Ratnam, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert in Polymer Technology, is in Ghana on a fact-finding mission from May 16 to 20, 2022, to assess a project plan to manage plastic waste using nuclear technology.

The project under the Technical Cooperation project of IAEA is dubbed: “NUTEC Plastics”, an initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation’s (MESTI) efforts, through the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) to tackle the menace of plastic waste in the country.

During her 5-day visit, Dr. Ratnam will meet with government officials, the project team    and tour selected laboratories at GAEC. This would be followed by a workshop with selected stakeholders in plastic production and waste management industry on Reutilizing and Recycling Polymeric Waste through Radiation Modification for the Production of Industrial Goods.

Dr. Harriet Danso-Abbeam, the project counterpart who is also a Senior Research Scientist at GAEC explained that the IAEA expert would tour some existing plastic recycling plant facilities as part of her activities.

“Ghana is one of four African countries that have been chosen by the IAEA to implement this project. The three other countries are South Africa, Kenya, and Morocco,” she added.

By Raymond K. Baxey & Mark Sarfo, CPRC/CCD

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and the Petroleum Commission (PETROCOM) have met to explore how to collaborate on areas of mutual interest.

At a meeting between the authorities of the two institutions in Accra, the Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, said the visit was an opportunity for the two institutions to strengthen ties; “We can collaborate to manage naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) during oil exploration to avert any radiological health hazards to people and the environment.” We can also look at the use of non-destructive testing (NDT) to prevent defects and potential leaks in oil pipelines and tankers.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of PETROCOM, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr., noted that there was a compelling need for collaboration between the two commissions, and that the recent Appiatse disaster in the Western Region had highlighted the need for a stricter regime in the handling of such radiation.

“And so, you are right in saying that there are naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and other related dangers during oil exploration that have to be dealt with in a controlled environment,” he said.

He called for collaboration in the decommissioning of the Saltpond Oil Field, which he said entails a number of issues, one of which he indicated as the subsea production system containing NORM that must be controlled. “Our concern is that nothing dangerous should escape into the environment during the decommissioning. We need to protect the flora and fauna for our aquaculture and the people who will work on it,” he added.

Mr. Faibille Jnr. also mooted the idea of a centre of excellence that would serve as a one-stop shop for the training of the middle-level workforce and technicians in petroleum and nuclear energy that can compete in any part of the world.

Other topical issues that took center stage during the meeting of the two commissions were nuclear power, localization, training, and capacity building.

By Raymond K. Baxey, CPRC/CCD

The Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare has urged young women to pursue Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to improve their chances of finding work.

According to the Director-General, there is a high demand for skilled labor, but many young women are not drawn to the sector due to misguided perceptions and the sector being dominated by men.

Prof. Dampare made these remarks during an orientation for young women participating in the Young African Works (YAW) strategy initiative in TVET programmes at the GAEC in Accra to kick-start a two-month skills development in ICT with technical support from the GAEC for the CAMFED.

He urged them to take advantage of such skill development initiatives to gain employable skills that would help reduce unemployment in the country. “It will also help bridge the gender gap in TVET and break the jinx of male dominance,” he stressed.

“This is an excellent opportunity for you to get new knowledge. And since you have the chance to participate in this programme, please take advantage of it,” he added.

Prof. Dampare thanked CAMFED for the opportunity to empower young women through TVET. He also encouraged the participants to pursue big dreams, such as becoming entrepreneurs. “Try to start small businesses that employ two or three other people,” he advised.

On her part, the Acting Director of Commercialization and Communication Directorate (CCD) of GAEC, Ms. Sheila Frimpong indicated that the collaboration between GAEC and CAMFED to train women in TVET programmes began about two years ago with the goal of empowering young women to gain employable skills to secure their livelihoods.

“It’s clear that it’s no longer a man’s world.” With proper training, women can succeed in the technical and vocational sectors. “And we’ll do it better because women are more detail-oriented,” she remarked.

She urged the participants to stay focused and take advantage of the TVET program to gain practical knowledge and update their skill sets in order to reduce unemployment.

Participants will receive training in entrepreneurship, photography, computer programming, Graphic Designing and web development.

By Exornam Awudi & Raymond K. Baxey, CPRC/CCD

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) will host an online workshop to equip food processors, hoteliers, and restaurateurs on how to make and market tomato products.

The two-day workshop, which will take place on June 8 and 9, 2022, is the second edition of the first workshop held last year to provide an opportunity for interested individuals to acquire employable skills to enable them earn a living and improve their living standards.

According to Dr. Mavis Owureku-Asare, a Senior Research Scientist and Head of Radiation Technology Centre at BNARI, the second edition of the workshop is being held virtually to allow many people from far and near to participate.

“The first edition sparked a lot of interest and there have been several calls from interested participants within and outside Ghana wanting to partake in the training workshop.” “Indeed, the online approach being adopted was a popular request from prospective participants,” she said.

Dr. Owureku-Asare, who is the inventor of the Ewiahemaa Solar Dryer—a solar-drying technology that preserves fresh tomatoes by processing them into powder, which can then be made into value-added products—said participants at the event will be introduced to the newly developed tomato processing techniques for tomato paste, ketchup, tomato puree, and jollof sauce.

“The technology helps reduce post-harvest losses, generates additional income, and provides a hygienic drying technology for tomatoes.” It also prevents product contamination from specks of dust, birds, and livestock, and extends the shelf life of tomatoes. Other food products such as vegetables, roots, and tubers can also be dried using this dryer, “she added.

Dr. Owureku-Asare noted that participants will be taken through topics such as overview of tomato processing technology; solar drying of tomatoes; processing tomato powder; bottling and canning of jollof sauce and tomato paste; quality management systems for tomato processing, contaminants in the tomato value-chain and marketing of agribusiness.

Participants will receive certificates at the end of the workshop. The resource persons for the training are Dr. Owureku-Asare, Dr. Joyce Agyei-Amponsah, Dr. Freda Asem, Dr. Daniel Ofosu, Dr. Kwesi Akomea Agyekum, Mrs. Adjoa Agah, Mr. Stanley Acquah, and Ms. Abigail Mireku.

The two-day online workshop is being organized in collaboration with the Organization of Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and supported by Impact Food Hub, GIRSAL and Stanbic Investments Management Services with the aim of providing participants with marketable skills in the tomato processing business.

By Raymond K. Baxey & Mark Sarfo, CPRC/CCD