A bill establishing a nuclear regulator in Ghana has been passed by parliament and is awaiting presidential approval. The bill will set up the Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Authority with "clear functions and responsibilities and to provide for the beneficial and peaceful uses of nuclear energy," according to the African Globe website.
Mahama Ayariga, Ghana's minister for the environment, science, technology and innovation, was quoted as confirming that an agreement had been signed with Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom for the construction of a nuclear plant in Ghana. Rosatom announced the agreement in June, saying it was an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate on the development of nuclear energy.
Parliament, in February, ratified relevant international conventions, such as the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.
IAEA reviews Ghana's framework
In June, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts concluded a 10-day mission an Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) to review emergency preparedness and response.
Team leader Peter Zombori, an expert from Hungary, said "Ghana has developed an emergency preparedness and response framework, based on the all-hazards disaster management system in the country, which will enable all responders to work together during a nuclear or radiological emergency."
