The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, has pledged to work with agencies under her Ministry to address their operational challenges and strengthen their contribution to Ghana’s development.
She said the Ministry would engage the institutions to identify practical solutions to their needs, while ensuring that requests for support were considered within available resources.
Dr. Agyeman Rawlings gave the assurance during a working tour of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA).
The tour, which forms part of her engagement with agencies under the Ministry, was aimed at familiarising herself with their operations, assessing their achievements and understanding the challenges confronting their work.
Speaking to the media at the end of the engagements, the Minister said the visits had provided an opportunity to interact directly with personnel, listen to institutional leadership and gain a clearer understanding of the agencies’ priorities.
She commended the staff for their commitment and professional dedication, emphasising that the institutions possessed the human capacity needed to deliver on their respective mandates.
“The level of commitment is without question,” she said, adding that the Ministry would consider requests from the agencies within its available budget.
STRENGTHENING PUBLIC SAFETY
During the engagements, institutional heads highlighted several concerns, including research funding, infrastructure, specialist staff retention, public safety, land encroachment and the need to strengthen regulatory capacity.
At the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, the Minister emphasised the importance of protecting safety buffer zones around nuclear-related facilities and improving public understanding of the Commission’s work.
She also raised concerns about the loss of highly trained personnel, noting the considerable time and resources required to develop specialists in scientific fields.
The Minister called for discussions between management and staff to identify measures that could improve staff retention and sustain the country’s investment in specialised expertise.
She further stressed the importance of maintaining effective human oversight and appropriate safeguards in the development and application of artificial intelligence, particularly in areas involving sensitive nuclear-related information.
On the protection of public assets, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings called for an assessment of land and other properties belonging to agencies under the Ministry to guard against encroachment.
She also directed that agencies consult the Ministry before disposing of land or other assets, with appropriate assessments and stakeholder engagement preceding such decisions.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Minister underscored the need to prepare Ghana for emerging developments in science, technology and the environment.
She called on the institutions to communicate scientific information in ways that ordinary citizens could understand, arguing that better public education would help Ghanaians appreciate their work and understand the safety measures associated with their activities.
According to her, effective communication would strengthen public confidence, promote awareness and encourage greater cooperation between scientific institutions and the communities they serve.
She also encouraged initiatives that would make science education more accessible, particularly to young people, through educational visits and improved audiovisual materials.
At the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, officials briefed the Minister on the systems used to regulate radiation-related activities, including registration, licensing, permits, inspections and enforcement.
The authority outlined its risk-based approach to regulatory oversight, explaining how the nature of an activity and the level of potential risk inform authorisation and inspection requirements.
The presentation also highlighted the need to strengthen organisational capacity to meet operational demands.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings expressed hope that stronger collaboration between the Ministry, its agencies and the public would help address existing challenges and improve the contribution of science and technology to national development.
The working tour forms part of the Minister’s broader engagement with institutions under her Ministry to assess their operations, identify priorities and determine areas requiring further attention and support.
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
