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The School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has partnered with the French Embassy to train scientists and technicians in the Geant4 Monte Carlo Simulation Toolkit in Accra.

The Geant4 Monte Carlo Simulation Toolkit, a computer software, is used in scientific disciplines such as nuclear and accelerator physics, medical physics, and space science to understand the behaviour of particles in a variety of virtual situations without having to rely solely on expensive and time-consuming real-world experiments.

The five-day workshop organized for researchers, students, and professionals at the conference hall of SNAS from March 18–22, 2024, has the University of Paris Saclay and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) as other partners to ensure the successful dissemination and sharing of knowledge and skills on the software.

Addressing the participants at the opening ceremony, the Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, emphasized that the program resonated with GAEC’s vision of enhancing the computational skills of its technical and scientific staff.

“The Commission is particularly proud to be a collaborator on this project, as the project’s objective of equipping scientists and technicians in Ghana with relevant computational skills is very much in line with GAEC Management’s vision for its staff,” he said.

Prof. Dampare stated that the Commission’s research efforts over the years have had a significant impact on the nation in critical sectors such as health, food safety, agriculture, and the oil and gas sector.

He indicated that leveraging software tools like Geant4 would further enhance GAEC’s contribution to the socio-economic development of Ghana.

“We look forward to making more modern tools available to the global scientific community, including resorting to computer coding and simulations, especially in the era of the ascendency of artificial intelligence and improved computing power,” he added.

The project coordinator from the University of Paris Saclay, Dr. Daniel Adjei, stated that the launch of the Geant4 program in Ghana in 2022 was the first of its kind in Africa.

He noted that the workshop was made possible through GAEC’s show of interest and urged the participants to seize the opportunity to enhance their careers.

“By staying true to your shown interest, we are here again with the main developers of this code, through funding from the University of Paris Saclay, under the framework of the Direction des Relations et Internationales Européennes (DRIE). We have no other option than to take full advantage of this to make a career out of it and/or to use this powerful tool in our contemporary research,” he said.

One of the instructors leading the training session, Prof. Marc Verderi, Spokesperson of Great4, expressed gratitude to the participants for their keen interest in mastering the Geant4 Monte Carlo Simulation and assured them that they would be provided with hands-on practical training throughout the session.
“I encourage you to ask questions so that by the end of the training, you will be well-equipped to use the Geant4 toolkit,” he added.

By: CPRC, CCD

A capacity-building workshop for Medical Laboratory Scientists to effectively respond to epidemics of infectious agents and utilize molecular biology methods to improve their diagnosis in Ghana is underway at the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, Accra.

The five-month program is aimed at improving the national preparedness of medical laboratory scientists towards the detection of infectious diseases like COVID-19 in case of future outbreaks in Ghana.

The workshop, organized by the Cellular and Clinical Research Centre of the Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), is being funded by the Ghana Skills Development Fund (GSDF).

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, the Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, assured the participants of hands-on training, which he said would provide them with the necessary skills for both clinical and research pursuits.

“Available data shows that medical laboratories need technology, and laboratory personnel are happy to receive training in molecular diagnosis. Therefore, this short course has been designed to address the skills gaps, boost career progression, and create employment opportunities in the medical laboratory sector of the Ghanaian economy,” he stated.

Prof. Dampare urged the participants to take the lessons from the workshop seriously and contribute meaningfully to the health and well-being of Ghanaians.

On her part, the Course Coordinator, Dr. Edna Dzifa Doe, bemoaned the scarcity of medical laboratory personnel with the needed skills to apply molecular biology techniques to detect infectious agents, and attributed it to the insufficient number of universities and research institutions offering such relevant training.

“Research institutions or universities that provide or can provide hands-on training in the application of molecular biology techniques in the diagnosis and detection of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections in Ghana are few, and only a limited number of these institutions are engaged in providing this needed service,” she said.

Dr. Doe explained that the inadequate training of medical laboratory personnel in molecular biology techniques somehow hindered the country’s ability to manage the COVID-19 outbreak effectively.

“During this critical period, the entire nation had to rely solely on the Noguchi Memorial Institute for accurate testing, which slowed the process. By improving the skills of biomedical laboratory scientists through this workshop, we are strengthening our defenses and ensuring a more agile response to emerging threats” she added.

The Director of RAMSRI, Prof. Francis Hasford, expressed gratitude to GSDF for their sponsorship, which enabled the institute to acquire the necessary logistics to conduct the training.

The training workshop has five (5) modules in three (3) cohorts and is scheduled to end on the 26th of July 2024.

By: CPRC, CCD

President Nana Akufo-Addo says Ghana is envisioning nuclear energy to account for 30 percent of the country’s energy mix by 2070.

This would ensure the provision of clean and affordable electricity to drive the country’s industrialisation agenda.
“It is also meant to position Ghana as a net power exporter in the ECOWAS region through the West African Power Pool,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo made the statement when delivering the 2024 State of the Nation Address to Parliament.

He stated that his remark was an extension of what he said at the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit and the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Co-operation (IFNEC) Ministerial Conference, which took place in Accra in November last year.

“We have committed ourselves to the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” he added.

Nuclear energy comes from splitting atoms in a reactor to heat water into steam, turn a turbine and generate electricity.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, nuclear is a low carbon emitting source of energy apart from being a clean, reliable, affordable, and modern energy source.

Available data indicates that the total installed capacity for existing plants in Ghana is 5,134 Megawatt (MW), with a dependable capacity of 4,710 MW.

Thermal generation accounts for the largest share of Ghana’s power generation, representing 66 percent, with hydro accounting for 33 percent.

Ghana’s thermal power generation is fuelled largely by natural gas, but occasionally using light crude oil and diesel. Ghana exports power to Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso.
Source: GNA

Forty staff of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) have completed a four-day competency-based training (CBT) and its implementation process at a workshop in Accra last Thursday.

The workshop is aimed at enhancing the teaching abilities of GAEC staff as facilitators to provide learners with the appropriate knowledge and skills to efficiently perform workplace roles in industry and administration.

The National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) held a seminar for research scientists to bridge the gap between innovations and practical applications.

The objective of the seminar was to equip the researchers with strategies and insights to help navigate the path from laboratory discoveries to the commercialisation of their work.

In his presentation, the Director of Commercialisation and Communication Directorate (CCD) of GAEC, Nana Boateng, stated that scientists must brainstorm ideas that can be commercialised before the start of their research.

“Thinking about commercialisation early in the research process will encourage you to match your work with industrial or everyday use. This mindset will prompt you to identify potential implications of your findings in real-world scenarios” he said.

Nana Boateng emphasised the importance of intellectual property protection for researchers, particularly in fields as dynamic as those explored by the Commission’s research scientists.

“Patents are more than just legal safeguards; they are a strategic move to ensure that both innovators and investors can confidently and profitably engage in the development and commercialisation of game-changing technologies” he stated.

He urged the scientists to adopt the mindset of innovators and entrepreneurs in addition to being researchers.

“The scientists cannot do it alone. That is why it is important for them to collaborate with CCD so that we can journey with them from the beginning to ensure the successful commercialisation of their innovations and technologies” he added.

On his part, the Director of NNRI, Dr. Samuel Ganyaglo expressed his hope that the scientists would leave the programme with new insights into how to translate their research findings into useful innovations that will help grow the Ghanaian economy and GAEC in particular.

“Intellectual property (IP) and research commercialization are important topics to me as a scientist and Director. It’s clear from the information received from this seminar that we can profit greatly from intellectual property. We can make a lot of money if our scientists are able to patent their ideas and we have an IP policy in place that allows them to do so” he stated.

In his closing remarks, the Chairman for the day, Dr. Dennis Kpakpo Adotey expressed gratitude to the scientists for their participation in the seminar and urged the Director of CCD to collaborate with GAEC Management in the strengthening of the IP policy.

By CPRC/CCD, GAEC

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission held its 17th Annual Thanksgiving Service with a call on members of staff to appreciate the grace of God in their lives.

The sermon for this year’s service was del ivered by Very Rev. Eric Gyan (Director, Youth Ministries Directorate of the Methodist Church Ghana) on the theme: Celebrating the Goodness of God.

The Director General of GAEC, Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare took the opportunity to highlight the commission’s key achievements in 2023. In a heartfelt address, he expressed gratitude to the dedicated members of staff for their unwavering commitment to their work.

The celebration was captured in a series of photographs, offering a visual glimpse into the event and the spirit of thanksgiving that prevailed.

A Principal Technologist at the Radiation Protection Institute (RPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Ms. Bernice Agyeman has received the L’OREAL FOUNDATION-UNESCO YOUNG SCIENTIST AWARD for her PhD. research on the Quality of Drinking Water to Address Disease Risk. She was one of 30 young scientists chosen from 630 individuals who applied for the award.

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