NRA Press Conference - The Role of NRA in Ghana's Nuclear Power Programme

The NRA, being committed to fostering collaboration and meaningful engagement with stakeholders in the pursuit of safe and sustainable nuclear energy practices in Ghana, put together the Press Conference to bring together a diverse audience, including government officials, members of academia, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from various industries, media personnel, students, and the broader nuclear community for knowledge-sharing, dialogue, and insight into the pivotal role that the NRA plays in shaping Ghana’s Nuclear Power Programme.

The Press Conference had media personality, Kafui Dey, as the compère for the day. The chairperson for the Press Conference was Prof. Isabella A. Quakyi, Vice President Sciences (GAAS)/ NRA Board Member, and the speakers for the event were experts from NRA and organisations within the nuclear industry; Dr. Emmanuel Ampomah-Amoako – Director, Nuclear Installations Directorate – NRA, Dr. Stephen Yamoah - Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana, Dr. Archibald Buah-Kuofie – Deputy Director of Nuclear Power Institute – GAEC and Dr. Tanja Perko of the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre.

The speakers presented on the Progress Report and the Status on the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme, as well as the Role of the NRA in the programme. These presentations were followed by a vibrant question and answer session between participants and experts including Dr. Nii Kwashie Allotey, the Director-General of the NRA and Prof. Augustine Faanu, the Director, Radiological and Non-Ionising Installations Directorate of the NRA. It is worthy to note that there was an especially active participation in the Q&A session by students of the Kwabenya Senior High School. 

As part of the press conference, there was an award ceremony for media personnel who had demonstrated exceptional contributions to promoting awareness and understanding of the mission of the NRA through their reportage on the Authority. This award ceremony was preceded by a Media Workshop that had been earlier held to empower media professionals with insights into the vital role and mandate of the NRA.  

Following the workshop, media personnel shared informative stories across Print, Radio, TV, and Online platforms, showcasing their dedication to accurate and insightful reporting. 12 media personnel submitted their published stories to be entered into the NRA Awards Competition, a celebration of excellence in journalism, and were evaluated based on the following assessment criteria; Factual content, Written or oral communication skills (clarity, accuracy), Originality and Adherence to ethical reporting or the Journalistic code of ethics of using original sources, balancing the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort, and avoiding conflicts of interest.

A winner each from the aforementioned categories and an overall winner were selected and awarded with plaques and a cash amount during the Press Conference, to highlight their contributions to promoting awareness and understanding of the work of the NRA.

The winners of the various categories are: