HTU Applauded for its Commitment to Ghana’s Nuclear Energy Development
Ho Technical University has received recognition for its commitment to Ghana’s nuclear energy development programme. In September 2022, the University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG) and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) to train the human resource needed for the project.
Ghana’s nuclear programme was initially proposed in the 1960s which has been revisited by political leaders in recent decades as the country seeks alternatives to hydro energy resources. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s recent declaration of the nation’s nuclear readiness has propelled the programme to the first phase of implementation.
At a two-day engagement with faculty, staff and students of HTU on April 19 and 20, 2023, Professor Benjamin Nyarko, Board Chairman of the NPG, praised the University’s enthusiasm for the project and its commitment to providing middle-level resources for running the programme.
He added that the Technical University had shown excellent collaboration and that it would become a crucial training institution through access to projects and programmmes.
Professor Christopher Mensah, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of HTU, assured NPG’s Board Chairman of the University’s commitment to the project’s implementation and its readiness to produce quality resources for the nuclear power programme.
“We would like to assure you that the commitment and enthusiasm of HTU towards the programme have not waned,” he stated and reiterated the resolve of Management to see through the implementation of the MoU, which includes the rolling out academic programmes in nuclear energy and sciences.
The Director of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission’s Nuclear Power Institute, Prof. Seth Debrah, on his part, said Ghana has now entered the second phase of nuclear implementation, working with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other successful countries to ensure a safe implementation.
He commended the enthusiasm of the University and emphasised that the implementation of the project required collaboration with entities like HTU. Prof. Debrah said nuclear power would diversify the nation’s energy portfolio and provide a leverage to secure the country’s energy resources.
The engagements involved presentations on the present nuclear regime and the progress made towards onboarding nuclear power. The first phase of the programme is expected to follow IAEA milestones, including selecting a preferred site for the first nuclear plant and registering various interests for its construction.
It also provided opportunity for members of the University Community to voice their concerns and contribute to the understanding of the nuclear environment.
The event was coordinated by the University’s Technical Committee chaired by Rev. Ing. Dr. Seth T.K. Dzokoto, working in conjunction with NPG and GAEC officials.