The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) on Saturday organized a fitness walk for its staff as part of activities scheduled for its 50th anniversary celebrations.

As early as 0600 in the morning, the workers had already gathered in front of the administration block of the Commission, near the Atomic Police Station, chanting and singing local mobilization songs to attract other patrons in the catchment area to join in the walk.

They walked from the premises of the Commission heading towards the roads leading to Haatso, through the Westland road and continued through the University of Ghana, Legon campus to the traffic lights at Okponglo, where they made a U-turn through the Madina-Atomic junction road and back to their starting point.

However, it was not easy for some members, who although exhibited great strength and enthusiasm at the initial stage of the walk, started feeling the fatigue under the heat of the early morning sun a few hours into the journey and called for permission to rest for a while. They did persevere to finish the walk but with some difficulty.

Professor Benjamin Jabez Nyarko, Director-General, GAEC, in an interview with the GNA, said it was important for one to have regular exercises for a healthy body and sound mind.

He said the exercise was therefore a very healthy rehearsal for the staff to keep them in good physical shape to be able to handle any form of emergencies that may arise from radiation and nuclear science safety issues.

He said as a safety conscious organization it was important that the Commission ensures smartness and the swift responses to emergencies when the need arises and that it has instituted a comprehensive programme that takes its staff through regular safety and fitness drills at their premises.

He said the Commission liaises with the National Disaster Management Organisation and the National Security in to detect and manage emergencies in the country and therefore it was crucial that it stands in preparedness should the need arise.

Prof Nyarko said the fitness walk was the first of its kind that has been organized by the Commission outside its premises and that it would be sustained as an annual event to complement the regular drills of staff.

He said other programs scheduled for the Commission’s 50th Anniversary celebration include health screening, blood donation, television talk shows, as well as an outreach programmes in deprived schools to educate students on the benefits of science.

He called on the public to join in the celebration of GEAC to learn more about their operations.