The Deputy Director of Nuclear and Alternative Energy at the Ministry of Energy Dr. Robert  Sogbadji has attributed the Ghana’s slow of adaptation and implementation of Nuclear Energy to the political unwillingness of governments.

According to him, there are several feasible policies in the energy sector which when adopted and implemented could solve Ghana’s energy woes but instead, political leaders focus only on policies that will help them win the next election.

“Some governments come in not very comfortable with the idea (Nuclear Energy) they don’t know how the public is going to react. You speak to a typical politician and he is looking at numbers. there are so many policies in the energy sector which when implemented will be successful, but how does it affect the numbers and make make people vote for them…..that is always their focus.”

Last year, Ghana successfully completed Phase one of the mandatory three stages required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to newcomer countries interested in Nuclear Energy. The first phase included legal and regulatory frameworks, nuclear safety and security, radioactive waste management, human resource development, stakeholder involvement, the capacity of the electrical grid and several others.

However, the pro-nuclear power activists have raised concerns on the slow pace at which the phases are executed. In response to that Dr. Robert  Sogbadji said regular stakeholder consultations are necessary to put pressure on government to prioritise the process. He is of the view that Rosatom, a Russian nuclear energy firm can assist Ghana to go 100% nuclear.

The Director of Communications for Rosatom’s Central and Southern African branch, Ryan Collyer reiterated his company’s readiness to work with the government of Ghana in any means possible.

CometnewsGh.com