Dr Alfred Yamoah, the Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana, says nuclear energy offers a robust, secure, and stable source of energy to spur the country’s development agenda.
He said comparing the strengths and weaknesses of other sources of energy for the country, nuclear energy presented a robust and reliable option to support medium and long term planning.
Dr Yamoah said this in response to a question posed when a delegation from the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), visited the management of Ghanaian Times Newspaper as part of stakeholder engagement on Ghana’s Nuclear Energy Programme.
The delegation engaged the management of the Company on the training of its personnel and the establishment of an Energy Desk to join a media network, which would help the public understand nuclear energy issues – uses, benefits, safety, security, environmental, dangers and mitigating factors.
The Team was welcomed by the Ghanaian Times team led by Mr Martin Adu-Owusu, the Managing Director.
Dr Yamoah noted that fuel that was used to power uranium fuel used to power nuclear plants did not have competing usage like other energy sources, stressing that the way to go was nuclear.
On the partnership, he said NPG was fully aware of the contributions and impact of stakeholders, especially the media, on the country’s nuclear power programme.
He said one of the key recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to countries seeking to develop or expand their nuclear power programmes was to ensure firm social license sustenance.
Thus, the NPG was keen on establishing a steady and well-bonded relationship with its stakeholders through the media to reach all corners of the country for effective involvement and engagement.
Dr Yamoah said a strong stakeholder involvement, as expressed in the 19 infrastructural issues of the Milestone’s Approaches, had been a ‘showstopper’ for some countries that had invested billions of dollars to build the Plant, like Austria, and that Ghana would not want to get it wrong.
Mr Adu-Owusu, in response, lauded the idea and said the Company would dedicate an office and staff to ensure that the goal of the project was accomplished.
“We are ever ready to support you. Ghanaian Times is a State institution and this agenda is for the betterment of the nation so we welcome it. It is a win-win situation for us”, he added.
Mr Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of GNA, said the partnership formed part of the quest to fulfill the Agency’s mandate of disseminating authentic and reliable news and information on Ghana’s development, its challenges, and successes to fully inform both domestic and international audiences.
He said GNA with the widest network and coverage continued to play a significant role in the development of the media industry in Ghana with a subscriber base comprising major media companies, cutting across print, electronic and internet-based platforms.
Ms Bellona-Gerard Vittor-Quao, Head of Communications, NPG, said it was imperative to get credible media organisations with nationwide coverage, such as the Graphic Communications Group and the Ghana News Agency, to tell the important story that utilising nuclear energy would lead to sustainable, reliable and affordable energy.
She said organisations such as the Ghanaian Times and industries would be able to reduce their operational costs and also plan ahead when using nuclear plants because they could run for 18 months before shutting down for maintenance.