Ghananian President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced the incorporation of nuclear technology into the country’s power generation mix to enhance rapid industrialization and propel economic growth.
Akufo-Addo said the development was to align with the global collective commitment to the sustainable availability of power and the peaceful exploitation of nuclear energy for the benefit of citizens.
Mr President made the declaration in a statement he signed and issued in Accra, the nation’s capital.
He also recalled that in 2008, the Cabinet had taken a decision to include nuclear energy in the country’s energy generation mix to pave the way for its inclusion in the National Energy Policy and Strategy.
Part of the statement reads, “This led to the establishment of the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation (GNPPO) to oversee the implementation and coordination of the nuclear power programme.
“Ghana subsequently declared its intention to pursue a Nuclear Power Programme for peaceful purposes in August 2013, through a letter submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)”.
Further, the statement indicated that two other key institutions, namely, the Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA), an independent nuclear regulatory body and, the Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), a project company would take up the role and responsibility as owner operators had been established by the government.
To satisfy all the relevant obligatory technical issues related to the introduction of nuclear power, the statement said the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), through its Technical Institute (the Nuclear Power Institute, NPI-GAEC), and with the support from other national bodies, had met all the Phase-1 nuclear infrastructure requirements as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Milestone’s approach.
