Atomic Energy Commission celebrates scientific renaissance day

Professor Edmund Osae, Acting Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), on Wednesday said despite the enormous contribution the Commission made to the country's development yet its operations were becoming difficult because of poor financing.

He said since the establishment of GAEC in 1963, it had been able to enhance activities in the agriculture, health, industrial and environmental sectors and called for private sector participation to make its work viable.

Professor Osae was speaking at a symposium organised by GAEC as part of activities marking this year's Scientific Renaissance of Africa Day, which the Organization of African Unity has set aside to be observed every year to create awareness and interest in science and technology.

It was to educate the public on the important role GAEC plays in all matters relating to the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Day, which focused on the health sector was under the theme "Science and Technology for Health, The Role of GAEC."

Professor Osae said GAEC was established to consolidate and promote research into peaceful and safe application of nuclear science and technology and biotechnology in agriculture, health, industry, environment and energy. "It was not established to manufacture atomic bomb as a lot of people believed" adding that it had saved the country billions of cedis, especially with its first class cancer treatment centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Professor Osae mentioned radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and radio-pharmacy, medical sterilisation, radiological health and safety as some of the functions GAEC provided for the health sector. He said for the industries, it undertook Non Destructive Testing (NDT), Radiotracer and nuclear reactor facility while it monitored industrial and mining areas with a view to detecting pollutants.

For agriculture, he said GAEC worked on food preservation, integrated pest management, micro-propagation of disease free planting materials, development of new variants of cocoa and cassava known as "Tek Bankye". GAEC also conducts researches and studies on the feasibility of Ghana introducing nuclear power into the energy mix as well as the teaching of nuclear science and technology at some of the countries universities and other African countries.

Dr Isaac K. Wilson, Scientific Officer of the National Nuclear Research Institute, who gave an overview on Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy, said the Centre for Radiotherapy at Korle-Bu since it started operation in 1997 had treated over 2200 patients with various cancers. He said 50 per cent of those treated were cervical and breast cancers with prostrate, liver, testicular, colon, and thyroid cancers accounting for the other 50 per cent.

Professor George Yaw Klu, Director of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, who talked about Food Irradiation and Medical Sterilization said the institute researches into fish, shrimps, spices, yam, cowpeas and maize among other foods before they were sent to the market.

He said the institute was planning to link up with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to reduce post harvest loses. Apart from this, Professor Klu said the institute also undertook purification of drinking water and decontamination of water. Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Environment and Science called for the integration of science in all spheres of the country's development efforts.