Ghana Plans Against Nuclear Radiation

Ghana has completed a draft national nuclear and radiological emergency response plan to deal with nuclear and radiological emergencies.

The plan will soon be subjected to a discussion and ratification by stakeholder institutions. The minister for the interior, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, announced this in Accra yesterday when he opened the first Africa regional co-ordinating meeting for the establishment of national capacities to respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies.

Radiology is the use of different types of radiation for medical treatment of diseases, especially cancer. Radiations are powerful and dangerous rays that are sent out from radioactive substances. High-level doses of radiation damage the human cells and can lead to cancer.

The minister explained that the plan would be implemented by the Radiation Protection Board of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other relevant emergency response organisations.

The emergency operations centre of NADMO will serve as the centre to co-ordinate any radiation emergency. To this end, the minister has appealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assist Government to procure some needed equipment to make the centre more functional and also help to train its staff.

The director general of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Professor Edward H.K. Akaho, noted that it was a privilege for his commission and NADMO to be hosting the maiden meeting