Nuclear technology is fundamental to achieving the Ghana beyond aid agenda, Dr. Adolf Kofi Awua, President of the Research Scientists Association (RSA) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has said.
He said this was because the technology is vital to two key factors in ensuring the agenda, which were good human health and the generation of electricity.
Dr Awua said this at the launch of the maiden week celebrations of the RSA.
He said achieving Ghana beyond aid meant "we should be able to sustain ourselves with what we produce, and this requires human energy".
Dr Awua said ill health was one of the major set-back to attaining the needed human resource base towards achieving Ghana without aid.
He said currently, one major threat to the country's man-power was cancer, which nuclear technology had proved to be one of the best, when it came to its detection and treatment.
"With the high rate at which" cancer was afflicting and killing people within the working age group, there was the need to inform policy so that government's efforts at putting the country beyond aid, would also include looking at ways of diagnosing and treating cancer.
He touched on electricity generation and said industrial development required a lot of energy that was resilient and consistently available, adding, "Nuclear is one source of energy which easily provides that," he said.
Dr Awua said whilst Ghana was pushing the nuclear power programme, GAEC was supporting that agenda with its research scientists.
"By this week's celebration, the attention of the Government and the public would be drawn to support the RSA and GAEC towards contributing to the country's development".
Mr. Mark Kofi Tettey, Programmes Coordinator of the National Blood Service, spoke on blood donation, one of the activities of the celebration and said, there was no risk to donating blood.
He said the demand for blood in the country was much more than its supply, which created a gloomy situation.
Mr. Tettey said measures were taken by health experts to ensure that only people who were qualified donated blood, which made it a very safe thing to do.
He said some people did not donate blood because they were afraid of being diagnosed of ailments such as Hepatitis B and gave the assurance that such information was regarded as highly confidential and would by no means be divulged to anyone.
Mr Tettey encouraged people to donate blood and help build a sufficient national blood bank.
Themed, "Ghana Beyond Aid, the Role of Nuclear Technology," the three-day celebration would be marked by a number of events, including a blood donation and a public lecture.