The five years Corporate Strategic Plan (CSP) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has targeted improvements in the Health and Agriculture sectors in Ghana.
The CSP that will be GAEC’s strategic operational document till December 2021 as part of it’s focused areas will facilitate the Establishment of Strategic National Facilities and Institutions.
The Director of Administration at GAEC, Mr. Felix Adeku in an interview disclosed that the commission would see to the building and supply of state-of-the art equipment for a Radiological Emergency Centre (REC) at GAEC as per the CSP’s objective. He added that the Commission would facilitate the construction of a Radiotherapy and Nuclear Imaging Facility at GAEC.
‘GAEC would also facilitate the building of two Radiotherapy centers in Tamale and Takoradi.’ He revealed. This he said would help give a major boost to the health sector of Ghana as far as the treatment of cancer and other related diseases are concerned.
Addressing some key challenges in Ghana’s Agriculture sector, Mr. Adeku disclosed that the Commission would enter into Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to establish a Gamma Irradiation Facility for food preservation against post-harvest losses. He added that the facility would also be used for sterilizing medical equipment in those key locations in Ghana
On his part, the Director General (DG) of GAEC Prof. Benjamin Nyarko is optimistic that the CSP will encourage the development and management of high-level human resource at all levels by providing training and education in nuclear and allied sciences for national development.
According to the DG, GAEC is in a process of upgrading the graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) to a fully-fledged University to intensify training within the five-year period.
Finally, he appealed to the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to grant SNAS a presidential charter to enable it run as an autonomous University that undertakes Nuclear Science and Technology in Ghana.
By: Thykingdom Kudesey / Office of Corporate and Public Affairs (OCPA) – GAEC
