GHANA

Session: Experience gained, challenges

faced and solutions adopted by Member

States in establishing a National Strategy for

E&T

Consultative Meeting of Policy-Decision Makers on the establishment of

a National Strategy for Education and Training

in Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety

16-17 December 2015

Augustine Faanu (GAEC; IAEA Steering Committee for E&T)

Development of a national policy and strategy

2015-12-22 1

Outline of Presentation

• Introduction

• GAEC structure

• Regulatory Infrastructure

• Facilities and activities in Ghana

• National Policy and Strategy

• Conclusion

2015-12-22 2

Introduction (1)

• GAEC was established by an act of parliament – Act 204, in

1963.

• Act 204 has been superseded by act 588 of 2000.

• The main functions of GAEC:

Promotion, development and utilization of the peaceful

application of nuclear technologies.

Advise Government on Atomic Energy Matters

2015-12-22 3

Introduction (2)

• GAEC has 6 Institutes, namely:

Radiation Protection Board/Radiation Protection

Institute(RPB/RPI)

National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI)

Radiological and Medical Science Research Institute

(RAMSRI)

Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute

(BNARI)

Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI)

Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS)

2015-12-22 4

Regulatory Infrastructure

• The Regulatory Authority (RPB) has been under GAEC since

1993 when it was established through PNDC Law 308 of

1993.

• Under this arrangement, the RPB is not an effectively

independent regulatory body since it operates under GAEC.

• To address this, in August 2015 a new Law was passed (Act

895, 2015) establishing an independent regulatory body to be

known as Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Authority (GNRA).

• GNRA will be completely independent of GAEC

• The GNRA will issue regulations on E&T in radiation safety.

2015-12-22 5

Summary of facilities and activities (1)

Medical

Practice Type of Source No. in Country

General x-ray X-ray 250

Dental x-ray X-ray 18

Mammography X-ray 10

Fluoroscopy X-ray 9

CT X-ray 17

Nuclear Medicine I-125, I-131, Tc-99m, Cs-137 6

Radiotherapy Co-60 2

Brachytherapy Co-60 2LDR

Medical accelerators X-ray and electron 1

2015-12-22 6

Summary of facilities and activities (2)

Industrial

Practice Type of source No. in

country

Industrial Radiography Ir-192, x-ray, Se-175, Cs-137, Ba-

137m, Ba-133, etc

12

Industrial Irradiator Co-60 1

Nuclear gauges & well

logging , troxler

Co-60, Cs-137, H-3, Th-232, Na-22,

Am-241, Cs-138, etc

200

Research Reactor HEU 1

2015-12-22 7

Moving towards a National Strategy (1)

• Radiation safety training programme has been on-going since

the establishment of RPB in 1993.

• However it has not been done in a more systematic manner.

• Following the coming into force of the AFRA Project RAF9048

on “Strengthening Education and Training infrastructure, and

building competence in Radiation Safety” Ghana adopted

systematic approach to build competence.

To ensure sustainability of the training programmes, Ghana

has fully embraced the Project RAF 9048 concept.

2015-12-22 8

National Policy and Strategy • Since the commencement of RAF/9/048 project in 2012

Ghana started developing its strategy based on the five

thematic areas namely:

National Policy on Education and Training

Analysis of Education and Training Needs

Design of the Education and Training Programme

Development and implementation of the E&T Programme

Evaluation of the National Education and Training

Programme.

2015-12-22 9

National Policy and Strategy • Ghana strategy began with the establishment of a 12

member National Steering Committee (NSC) inaugurated in

March 2013.

The NSC oversees the design, development and effective

implementation of various phases of the strategy including

monitoring of the effectiveness of the whole process.

Including Lobby government authorities for the much needed

support for effective implementation of the strategy

• A 10 member technical working group (TWG) was also

established by the NSC.

• TWG drafts the relevant documents of the strategy, NSC

endorses the document submitted after review.

2015-12-22 10

National Policy and Strategy

• In our strategy, the new Regulatory Authority (GNRA) will

approve the training providers of training courses.

• The National Accreditation Board of Ghana is responsible for

approving the academic programmes.

• The two training providers identified are:

The Radiation Protection Institute to provide the approved

training courses.

The School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) will be

responsible for educational courses based on approved

academic programmes.

2015-12-22 11

National Policy and Strategy

The strategy covers persons likely to be occupationally

exposed to ionizing radiation namely;

• Regulatory Staff,

• Qualified operators,

• Radiation Protection Officers (RPOs)

• Qualified Experts in various facilities and activities (e.g.

medical physicists) and

• Other professionals who may be exposed to ionizing radiation

( e.g Health professionals).

2015-12-22 12

National Policy and Strategy

• The policy document was approved by NSC in March

2015.

• The approved document has been uploaded on the

RASIMS platform (a copy is available).

2015-12-22 13

National Policy and Strategy 1.Policy Framework

Section 1: Background to Policy document

Section 2: Human Resource Development Policy

Subsection 2.1: Goal of the of policy

Subsection 2.2: The need for establishment NSC

Subsection 2.3: The need for establishment TWG

Subsection 2.4: Role of the Regulatory Authority

Subsection 2.5: Role of Training Centre (s)

Subsection 2.6: Categories of persons to be trained

2015-12-22 14

National Policy and Strategy The TWG has also completed the following components of the Strategy:

• Analysis of Education and training needs

• Design of the National Education and Training Programme

• Development of Education and Training materials

• Criteria for appointment for the 5 Categories of workers have also be completed.

The Regulatory Authority

Qualified Experts

Radiation Protection Officers

Qualified operators

Health professionals

• The above documents were reviewed and approved by the NSC in their last meeting held on 18th November 2015.

2015-12-22 15

National Policy and Strategy

2. Analysis of the E&T needs

• This activity was carried out by reviewing the inventory of

practices and activities in Ghana.

• In addition projections were made for possible additions to

the inventory in the next 5 years.

• From the analysis training needs of categories of

personnel were determined.

2015-12-22 16

National Policy and Strategy

• 3. Design of the National Education and Training

Programme

• Training providers, type of training, number of people to be

trained and resources available were identified for :

• Regulators for all facilities and activities

• Radiation Protection officers for all facilities and activities

• Qualified operators for all facilities and activities

• Qualifies experts all facilities and activities

• Health professionals for medical facilities and activities

2015-12-22 17

Radiation Protection Officers within practices and facilities

-Industrial and Research Applications

Facilities and Activities Training Provider Training Number to be

Trained

Industrial Radiography RDC (SNAS & RPI ) Practice -specific radiation Safety

Training Programme

10

Industrial Irradiator RDC (SNAS & RPI ) Practice -specific Radiation Safety

Training Programme

2

Nuclear Gauging and well

logging

RDC (SNAS & RPI ) Practice -specific radiation Safety

Training Programme

40

Mineral extraction and

processing

RDC (SNAS & RPI ) Practice -specific radiation Safety

Training Programme

4

Research Reactor RDC (SNAS & RPI ) MPhil Radiation Protection +

Practice -specific radiation Safety

Training Programme

4

Nuclear Power Plant Abroad MPhil Radiation Protection/

Nuclear Engineering + According to

Host Institution Programme

8

Waste Management Facility RDC (SNAS & RPI ) MPhil Radiation Protection +

According to Host Institution

Programme

2

2015-12-22 18

National Policy and Strategy • 4. Development and Implementation of the National Education and

Training Programme (NETP):

The syllabi for the training of 5 categories of workers have been developed.

• Aim of the training

• Format of the Training: Classroom teaching, practical demonstrations, Visits, on -the – Job training (OJT)

• Duration of Training:

Regulators: Four (4) Weeks

RPOs: Three (3) weeks

Operators: Two (2) weeks

• Training Provider: Regional Designated Centre (School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences) and Radiation Protection Institute

• Participation Requirement for the Course: Tertiary education with technical and scientific background and designated as regulators.

• Syllabus: Course modules adapted from materials developed by IAEA and other relevant resources

• Venue of the Course: School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences

2015-12-22 19

National Policy and Strategy • 4. Development and Implementation of the National

Education and Training Programme (NETP).

• Some aspects of the Strategy being implemented are

Education

Through SNAS programmes, we are training yearly on the

average 5 persons who could be appointed as Regulators and

Radiation Protection Officers.

Training Courses

• RPI continues to offer radiation safety training:

• In 2015 nine (9) training courses were organized.

RPOs – 3 training events

Operators – 6 training events

• In addition staff from the Regulatory Authority benefit from the

IAEA fellowship training programmes e.g. PGEC, TTT.

20

National Policy and Strategy

5. Evaluation of the National Education and Training

Programme (NETP)

• The TWG is working on the draft document “ Evaluation and

Monitoring of the programme”.

• The document will be reviewed and endorsed by the NSC

when completed and submitted by the TWG.

2015-12-22 21

National Policy and Strategy

Challenges

The commitment of various stakeholders in providing the

needed support to the project.

The biggest challenge is with the funding of the project and

NSC is working modalities to address this.

There is also an overload of work on the TWG due to other

commitments at work.

2015-12-22 22

National Policy and Strategy • Results and Achievements

•The following documents have been completed on

endorsed by the NSC:

National Policy on Education and Training in March 15

The design of the National Education and Training

programme on 18/11/15.

The developed syllabi for the 5 categories of staff to be

trained on 18/11/15.

The criteria for appointment for the 5 categories staff to

be trained. on 18/11/15.

2015-12-22 23

Way Forward

• The outstanding work to be completed includes:

Full development of course materials

The review and endorsement of the mechanism for the

evaluation and monitoring of the programme by the NSC

Review and endorsement by the NSC of the entire strategy

before full implementation.

2015-12-22 24

Conclusions

• The establishment of the National policy and strategy for

Education and Training in Radiation Safety in Ghana is

progressing steadily.

• Our expectation in the meeting is to learn from the experiences

of others to help improve on our strategy development and

implementation.

• When the independent Regulatory Authority is formally

established;

it will issue regulations on E&T in radiation protection and

safety in Ghana,

It will also formally authorize the Training provider(s) to

implement the approved training programmes to meet the

education and training needs in radiation protection and safety

in Ghana.

2015-12-22 25