The GAEC to establish Postgraduate College

Accra, April 27,GNA- The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) in collaboration with the University of Ghana, Legon is to establish a postgraduate College to train nuclear scientists from next academic year.

The College would also train Engineers in Allied sciences in the country and West Africa.

Professor Edward Akaho, Director General of the Commission, announced this when Mr Seok In Hong, Deputy South Korean Ambassador in Ghana paid a courtesy call on him and inspected facilities at the Commission in Accra on Wednesday.

The visit was in response to a promise by the South Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and the South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology to assist GAEC when some personnel of the Commission travelled to South Korea.

Professor Akaho said the College would help enhance manpower and human resource development for the Commission and other scientists from the sub-region in biotechnology, radiation technology and digital electronics.

He called for more financial assistance to the commission that had the capacity to reduce the spread of malaria in Ghana by neutralizing the widespread of plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria in some mosquitoes through the Gamma irradiation facility at the Commission.

The Director General of GAEC, said "the commission has been able to reduce sleeping sickness in cattle rearing areas when it neutralized some tsetse flies and released them to endemic areas to cross breed others."

Professor Akaho called for the promotion, development and utilisation of the application of nuclear and biotechnological techniques to enhance economic and social development in Ghana. Mr Hong called for increased technology transfer between Ghana and South Korea to enhance nuclear research and economic development. He said the South Korean government was committed to support the Commission because of its vital role in national development.