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

Strengthening the Capacity of Member State Partner Institutions Through Fellowships

Sheila Frimpong, from Ghana, joined the IAEA’s Division of Programme Support and Coordination (TCPC) in October 2018 for a six month fellowship. Sheila is the first fellow to join TCPC and comes from the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission where she holds the position of Project Development Manager. Her fellowship focuses on building skills in communication, outreach and partnership that can benefit her home institution on her return.

Experience and lessons learned: How a fellowship with the TC communication team is improving my career development

By Sheila Frimpong

Working as a technology transfer and communication officer at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), my role demands an extensive set of communication and outreach skills. This personal story explains how my fellowship with the IAEA’s Department of Technical Cooperation’s communication team is preparing me for more complex tasks in technology transfer and communication, and expanding my perspective about how I work in my home country.

Reporting to work on one winter morning at the IAEA in Vienna, Austria, I was shown to my desk with all the necessary logistics for effective work and provided with a structured orientation in the first week. The space to innovate and grow was thus created for me on the first day of work. Settling at my desk, I noticed something unusual: all office doors are left open irrespective of rank or position. I also noticed staff walking to and fro outside my office. I asked my office colleague what was going on, with staff running all over the place. She told me – they are picking up their printing to start their activities for the day. I said to myself wow! I have a lot to learn. Here, people are expected to look after their own needs – there’s no-one around to pick up things for them. Then came 17:00, finishing time, but my office colleague was not ready to leave for me to follow as a newcomer. Stepping out of my office, I noticed that many staff were still glued to their desk as if the day had just started. It was then I realised that I was in fact in a different work environment, and that adjusting to the new work approach was critical and necessary. So, there was a lesson for me on the very first day – I would have to be transparent as a manager of my own work and build on my time and results consciousness.

During my fellowship, I have attended a series of training programmes on communication, presentation skills, sustainability and nuclear technology transfer. I have come to the realisation that it takes tri-sector leadership to build innovative solutions. Thus, at the IAEA, different stakeholders including sister UN agencies are regularly invited to share their experiences, challenges and lessons in pursuing a course of action. I’ve learned how all the Departments in an organization can work together to drive change, especially as it relates to the transfer of technology and the involvement of many actors.

My fellowship with the technical cooperation communication team has given me a unique opportunity for one-on-one and hands-on field experience. Prior to the start of the fellowship I had little experience in conducting communication audits, developing factsheets, and writing success stories. Also, I had not been exposed to an international working environment. With regular hand-holding support from my supervisor and the larger communication team, attendance at weekly meetings and participation in workshops to witness presentations by my supervisor, my level of confidence in my communication abilities, public speaking and presentation skills has improved tremendously. In addition, I have gained practical experience in developing communication strategies and improved my skills in proposal writing.

Working in a multi-cultural environment and improving my cultural competencies has been one of my biggest take-aways during the fellowship. I am now able to relate in a more professional and confident manner with experts with different cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic status.

Above all, I have had a transformative international experience, seeing the world of work from a different organizational setting. I will put this to use when I return to GAEC. As a result of the diverse skills gained during my fellowship, I am more than confident of my ability to pursue my career in a multi-cultural environment and to make the maximum impact on society with the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

I can also see how I can leverage my skills and experience to benefit other African countries. In addition to my expertise in marketing, I now know I can contribute to any communication related activity, particularly developing communication strategies for African countries and the world at large.

Indeed, my fellowship has facilitated my personal and professional development and has positioned me to address one of the most complex challenges in scientific institutions: putting cutting edge nuclear technology to the service of industry and society.

Source: iaea.org

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)

Ghana hosts international workshop on Dish Conversion for radio astronomy

The Ghana Space Science Technology Institute (GSSTI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) on Monday, opened an international Dish Conversion workshop on the mobilisation of radio astronomy technology for economic development.

Professor Dickson Adomako, the Director of the Ghana Space Science Technology Institute, at the opening ceremony in Accra, said the workshop is the first of the four series to be hosted in Ghana, Mexico, Thailand and the United Kingdom respectively, with financial support from the Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF), a UK Agency.

These workshops, he explained, would gather experts to discuss and share requisite skills, experiences and knowledge in radio antennae conversion, telescope controls and receiver systems among others, for socio-economic development.

The week-long workshop in Ghana would create the platform for participants who are from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, to share engineering expertise on the topic, learn more from Ghana’s Dish Conversion experience, and further build networks to facilitate the onward sharing of knowledge and information after the programme.

Prof Adomako said he would provide countries who were yet to have a dish conversion with the needed knowledge and skills for adoption, and for those advanced in the use of the technology, to share their expertise with others.

The Director who later narrated Ghana’s Dish Conversion experience, said it has not been an easy journey to convert the 32 metre ex-telecommunication antenna at Kuntunse in Accra, into a radio telescope.

He said “we have had to deal with administrative and technical challenges,” but the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), GAEC, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the Royal Society-UK, the Development in Africa through Radio Astronomy (DARA), and other international institutions have been committed to assisting with efforts to make a the project a success.

The GSSTI together with its collaborators, he said, have since the conversion, intensified outreach programmes to attract young talents into astronomy and related fields, and have been using the converted facility for research and training purposes.

He thanked the GCRF for providing funding for the workshop, and also for its commitment to the course of developing global astronomy.

Prof Melvin Hoare, Chairman of the Science Organising Committee (SOC), said the benefits of radio astronomy were enormous as it provided accurate data and forecast information to drive socio-economic development.

He commended Ghana for the tremendous success made so far in its strides towards the development of radio astronomy, saying this would enhance science and research development across the continent.

Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, said Ghana was the first among the partner countries to achieve these milestones and acknowledged the continuous collaborative work between scientists and engineers from Ghana and their colleagues from other parts of the world, especially South Africa and the UK.

She also mentioned the GSSTI’s collaboration with various international organisations to organise workshops, conferences, summer schools and training programmes, as well as award scholarships to a number of Ghanaian Scientists,

Technologists and Engineers to pursue Postgraduate studies in Astronomy and related fields in South Africa and the UK in particular.

“These are all opportunities for Ghana to build valuable human capacity in astronomy and to harness the relevant skills in Science, Technology and Innovation for socio-economic development of the country, she said.

Madam Appiagyei said the funding support from SARAO, GCRF, DARA, Newton Fund and all the other international establishments have been very encouraging and commendable for the sustainability of the Project.

“Obviously, as a country and globally, we are in the right direction and committed to building critical infrastructure to ensure that we fully enjoy the benefits of astronomy and its associated science, Technology and Innovation,” she said.

She said currently, universities in Ghana were working on introducing programmes and courses in astronomy and related fields and there is the need to enhance the efforts to include the teaching and learning in the academic curriculum.

She urged the GSSTI and its stakeholders to work assiduously on the interventions to promote astronomy education, and develop programmes that would address the current national, regional and global needs, while the government through the Ministry does its best to support these efforts.

Prof Benjamin J. Nyarko, the Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, commended the GSSTI for its current level of achievement in the development of Astronomy, saying “I have observed with admiration the progress made with the execution of the astronomy projects and programmes in the country.

“I am enthused about what had been achieved and what is yet to come, I am therefore not surprised to witness such a global astronomy workshop in Ghana today,” he said.

He explained that since Ghana officially decided to join the astronomy and space science fraternity in less than a decade ago, a lot has been invested, and with the support of countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom this dream has become.

Prof. Nyarko said the debate that Science, Technology and Innovation was key to national development remains pertinent and has been the motivation to keep pushing the scientific research and innovation agenda.

He said it is the hope that very soon the country would fully enjoy the benefits of astronomical technologies and other spin off businesses, and encourage charge participants of the workshop to translate the enacting experiences and expertise into forms that would help develop not only astronomy, but other relevant sectors of the economies of their countries.

Source: GNA

GAEC Trains Freight Forwarders on Radiation Protection and Safety

The Radiation Protection Institute (RPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is organizing a Radiation Protection and Safety Training Course for Radiation Protection Officers (RPOs) and some Qualified Operators/Staff of Genuine Group Logistics in Accra to ensure public and environmental radiation safety.

The core objective of the programme is to ensure that the participants understand basic radiation physics in their line of duty to forestall possible health hazards associated with ionizing radiation as well as radioactive substances.

The seven participants (second batch) who are mainly staff of Genuine Group Logistics are expected to carry out practical laboratory exercises as part of the one-week course.

The Manager of the Radiation Protection Training and Consultancy Centre of RPI, Dr. Stephen Inkoom, in a short ceremony to welcome the participants, stated that his outfit is responsible for the training of workers in various institutions such as medical, research, industry and among others whose operations cut across the use and transportation of radioactive materials.

He explained that the course is key for freight forwarders since they have a tendency of transporting radioactive substances or devices that may contain radioactive materials. “Genuine Group Logistics are Logistics services providers in Takoradi – Ghana offering a wide range of logistics support services for companies and establishments in sectors such as oil and gas, maritime, mining and construction, banking and financial services, education, health, security services amongst others. So this training is a necessity considering their activities”, he stressed.

Dr. Inkoom explained that, the programme would equip the participants on the basic principles of radiation protection and how to apply them in their work environment. “The trainees would understand the national and international requirements for the control of ionizing radiation sources and also, emergency preparedness and response to abnormal situations involving the use of radioactive material”, he added.

He was confident that GAEC would continue to train more radiation workers in Ghana and Africa in order to ensure public and environmental safety to meet the standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He finally called on the institutions to ensure that their occupationally exposed workers are well trained to handle all peaceful applications of ionizing radiation based on regulations by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA), Ghana.

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