The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is soliciting for funding through the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) to establish a wielding institute to train high caliber professionals for heavy industries.

Professor Shiloh Osae, a Director of the National Nuclear Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, said Ghana lacked the high caliber of wielders and technicians with the right certifications to feed the heavy industries in areas including the oil, gas and mining.

“This is because there is no formal facility in the country to formally train and provide certification for people in this area,” he said.

Prof. Osae said this during a training session supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, to enlighten journalists on the operations of GAEC.

He said the Commission had written to COTVET for assistance to intervene in the situation by establishing a formal institution which would produce professionals with standards comparable to others in international circles.

Prof Osae said the Commission was set to commercialize its activities to serve the wider population by focusing particularly on the industrial sector including oil, gas and mining.

According to him GAEC, through its nuclear technologies, was helping mining, construction and energy industries to provide quality services and ensure safety of their output, but these industries required highly qualified technical manpower in wielding, which unfortunately was non-existent in Ghana.

He said due to the challenge these heavy industries were forced to engage the services of expatriates to handle most of their delicate and sophisticated wielding contracts, which could had otherwise been handled by locally trained and properly certified wielders.

He said the establishment of the training facility for wielders would enhance professionalism in the field and also improve the economic status, as well as the credibility of people due to quality of training and certification they would receive.

Prof. Osae said GAEC has been at the forefront in providing numerous technological advancements and interventions in diverse areas including education, health, agriculture, security as well as the industrial sectors of the country.

The Commission, as part of its core mandate advices Government on policy-related and peaceful application of nuclear technologies.

Prof. Osae said GAEC had also recorded some breakthroughs in areas such as the development of an early maturing virus tolerant cassava and other pest resistant crops to promote food security, and facilitated the establishment of the two radiotherapy centres at the Korle-Bu and Okomfo Anokye Teaching hospitals..

He appealed to the government and other stakeholders to support the Commission to train particularly the youth to feed the various heavy industries in the country.