The Nkuntunse Radio Telescope Project: a practical means to popularise science in Ghana

By Stanley Seshie

In the evening bulletin of 23rd January, 2016, Tv3 network carried the
news on the progress of work on the Nkuntunse Radio Telescope Project
amidst the political and high tariffs news that always characterize
daily bulletins. This was good news - as it has to do with science.

A project meant to convert the 32m Vodafone Earth Station Antenna in
Nkuntunse at the northern outskirts of Accra into a radio astronomy
telescope. This project will certainly lifts Ghana onto the map of the
heavenly studies via the indispensable potential contributions of the
facility. Ghana shall equally reap the socio-economic benefits.

Given the inherent limitations of the human eyes for observations,
telescopes are formidable extensions covering all the electromagnetic
spectrum. Telescopes are the portals through which humanity now look
into the Universe for awe-inspiring discoveries. Radio telescope is
one such example.

Radio telescopes are the most common telescopes now available in
Ghana. With a MultiTv or DSTV decoder connected to TV and a satellite
dish mounted on the roof, you essentially have a mini radio telescope
collecting data in the form of encoded radio waves as entertainment,
educative and religious programs by the dish wired down for decoding
and visualization. That is one of the commercial uses of radio
telescope.

Therefore, the progress on the revival of the telescopic astronomy in
Ghana via the Nkuntunse project by the joint efforts of Ghana Space
Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) and African VLBI Network
(AVN), SKA South Africs is invaluable news. Especially since this is
for scientific research purposes. It will also contribute to the
needed popularisation of science in Ghana when international news
outlets begin to carry headlines of discoveries in astronomy and
cosmology, probably using a telescopes on our own soil.

Accordingly, this project should awaken our current crop of leaders to
reinvigorate the visionary legacies of our past leaders. The actions
and thoughts of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as evidenced in most of his
progressive foundational works and inspirational writings speaks
volumes of what he expects from Ghanaians at all times.

The man simply wanted his beloved nation, Ghana, to be more of
thinking and action oriented citizens (leaders and followers) than the
political talkative and praying ones that we have become, and
fossilized beyond archeological excavation. He essentially expected
Ghana to lead Africa politically, scientifically, technologically and
economically in order to influence others and collectively push for
the wholistic liberation of the continent from the claws of
imperialism of any kind from world powers.

In the footsteps of John F. Kennedy and subsequent Heads of State of
USA and other advanced nations, Ghanaian presidents should
occasionally deliver speeches in Parliament and educational
institutions that, when broadcated to the entire nation, will impress
on us, that we have set for ourselves some scientific challenges to
accomplish within a given period.

A concrete reason to tighten our belts nationally, as a dedicated
sizeable amount of the taxpayers' money must find its way into
sponsoring scientific researches that will lead to technological
breakthroughs than used for frivolous expenditures and defraying
unnecessary politically incurred debts. Funding of researches by State
and Corporate organisations in all areas of human knowledge is the
beginning of industrilization of a nation.

South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria are leading giants on the continent,
launching their own satellites into space and recouping the
socio-economic benefits therein. Even Ethiopia, a populous but "poor"
nation in the eastern block of Africa recently launched its own
satellite through joint sponsorship from State and others.

Ghana is one nation that chalked international recognitions in many
things, especially in issues of governance. Ghana is a signatory to
this charter, that charter and ratifying this, ratifying that. Well,
it is time to become a signatory to, and ratify charters of space
science and technology too. That means commitment to spending
taxpayer's money judiciously enough to use some to fund programs of
this kind and similar ones.

Advanced and developing nations are not noted for ratifying
signatories upon signatories and holding periodic free and fair
elections only. They are also known for their commitment to funding
researches that guarantees socio-economic benefits for the
developmental sustainability of the nation.

Nothing is as visionary as a leader's commitment to funding researches
- the backbone of every developed and developing economy. The dreams
of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for Ghana must come to fruition. Finally, and
symbolically, this Nkuntunse radio telescope, when operational should
tell Ghanaians that faith is not an extension of any of our senses as
telescopes and microscopes are of our eyes. Let us look into the
heavens with our eyes opened, not closed.

Email: seshiehanku@gmail.com

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