'Ghana Will Harness Peaceful Use Of Nuclear Energy'

The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof Yaw Serfor-Armah, has given the assurance that Ghana will continue to promote the peaceful applications of nuclear techniques and biotechnology for the sustainable development of the country in particular and Africa in general.

He urged participants attending a four-day seminar on atomic energy which has opened in Accra to endeavour to share information among themselves, since that was essential in achieving the common desired goal.

Opening the seminar, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Ms Sherry Ayittey, said it was only when Africans began to consistently apply science and technology to development that they would succeed in improving on the lives of the people.

She, therefore, called on the participants to come up with a scheme that would promote the peaceful application of nuclear techniques and biotechnologies for the socio-economic development of Africa.

About 20 participants from member countries of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Africa are attending the seminar, which is also aimed at addressing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The MDGs seek to spread the benefits of nuclear science and technology to the entire world and ensure that newly discovered knowledge is used for peaceful purposes.

The seminar is being organised by the IAEA, in collaboration with the GAEC.

Ms Ayittey commended the IAEA for sponsoring such programmes, which she said had been very beneficial to the African region.

She said technical co-operation programmes by the IAEA had assisted member states to develop and sustain their nuclear science and technology which was greatly enhancing the socio-economic development of beneficiary countries.

She expressed the hope that the participants, at the end of the training course, would be able to make full use of the opportunity to improve their technical skills and come up with well-thought out and designed projects to meet the needs of their people.