The Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), Mr. William D. Magwood, IV, has identified Ghana as a Sub-Saharan African nation well-prepared to harness nuclear technology for socioeconomic advancement.
During a media briefing at the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) Ministerial Conference in Accra, he commended Ghana’s readiness, stating, “The country seems to be ahead of others, in terms of intellectual infrastructure, strong core people with excellent technical training and good political commitment.
“Participating ministries understand their policy roles in detail, structures are in place and regulatory agencies understand nuclear safety,” he said at a media briefing on the sidelines of the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) Ministerial Conference in Accra on Thursday.
He highlighted that participating ministries have a deep understanding of their policy roles, established structures, and regulatory agencies well-versed in nuclear safety.
The IFNEC conference convened high-level officials, nuclear industry representatives, and key stakeholders to discuss regional and international cooperation, as well as policies necessary to advance nuclear energy programs.
Topics of discussion included nuclear financing, regulation, human resource development, supply chain development, mapping, and project development.
Mr. Magwood expressed the NEA’s commitment to support Ghana in its nuclear endeavors and praised the country’s advanced awareness of available technologies suitable for its circumstances.
He noted Ghana’s proactive approach to nuclear technology selection and decision-making, emphasizing the advantage it holds over other countries.
Nuclear technologies have garnered interest from various African nations, signifying a positive trend, especially as Africa is expected to become the most populous continent by 2050.
Professor Samuel Boakye Dampare, Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, revealed that Ghana had chosen Nsuban in the Western region and Obotan in the Central region as potential sites for its first nuclear power plant. Detailed technical assessments are underway to determine the preferred site.
Selecting the site marks a significant step in the second phase of Ghana’s Nuclear Power Programme, preceding the choice of a vendor/partner for constructing the plant. Four sites were initially considered, and Ghanaian experts conducted further studies to rank Nsuban and Obotan as the top choices.
Prof. Dampare confirmed progress in the selection of vendors and indicated that the government plans to announce the partner country responsible for building the nuclear plant by 2030. He also highlighted the establishment of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the ongoing capacity-building efforts to enhance its functions.
Ghana’s pursuit of nuclear energy aligns with its objective of diversifying its energy sources to support industrialization, particularly with the decline of traditional energy sources.
Many sectors of the Ghanaian economy have expressed readiness to participate in the country’s nuclear agenda, emphasizing the importance of adding nuclear power to the energy mix.
This sentiment was reflected in a nationwide social and economic survey conducted by the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER).