By Yao Afra YAO
I had returned from my meeting with Dr. Archibold Buah-Kwofie, Ag. Director of the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI), some few hours ago when I chanced upon, on YouTube, Elon Musk’s highly anticipated chit-chat with Donald Trump… A little over two hours long conversation with a hodgepodge of topics thrown around, but what stuck out for me naturally was that bit about nuclear energy. Just like that, these two gentlemen had spoon-fed me my anecdote for today’s piece.
Lost in Translation
Let’s briefly revisit it.
About 1 hours 18 minutes into the conversation, Trump brings up the topic, “To me the biggest problem is nuclear power. The power of nuclear [energy] is so great…”
Before he could finish, Elon chimes in an enthusiastic: “Yeah, nuclear power is underrated. It’s awesome…”
But then Trump continues, “And when I talk about [the fact that] I’ll prevent World War III…”
Elon’s disappointed “oh” response is faint but palpable. Blink and you might miss it.
Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here are two men using the same words but meaning completely different things—nuclear power and nuclear power. One goes, boom! The other, boom! Once again, what we have here is the same word but meaning two completely different things…
Elon was disappointed because he, with his enthusiastic response, was thinking of the peaceable implication of those words—nuclear power…That source of energy employed by developed and developing nations alike all across the globe to fuel their developmental journeys.
That source of energy that has the sheer capacity of enabling economic boom. While Trump, with his mind still on his North Korean and Russian comrades, Kim and Putin, was thinking about the atomic bomb—that morbid use of nuclear power. That disastrous and cancerous use of nuclear energy. That which, with a press of a metaphoric button, can cause communities, cities to go: ‘boom!’—all up in radioactive flames.
A distinction between these two things was important. Listening on as Trump raged about the dangers of the atomic bomb—one of his principal campaign rhetoric—to a global audience of over 60 million on that livestream, I craved a distinction. Luckily Elon delivered on that: “Yeah, there is the bad side of nuclear [power] which is nuclear war… But there is also nuclear electricity generation—it’s underrated. People have this fear of nuclear [power] but it is actually one of the safest forms of electricity generation…”
Yes, Elon delivered. But Dr. Archibold Buah-Kwofie, Ag. Director of the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), I must say, put it even better, when he, during my tête-à-tête with him earlier that same day, said: “If you look all over the world, there is no rich country which is energy deficient. Energy is crucial for national development.
Forward-thinking nations proactively seek energy out, in all its varied forms, to orchestrate their national growths. And nuclear power, has that singular capacity of positively affecting all aspects of a nation’s economy—from industry to agriculture, healthcare, transportation. The list is long.”
Kwame Nkrumah put it grandly still when he, during the stone laying of GAEC in 1964, said: “Our sole motive in reaching the decision to build the centre—which you now see rising before you—is to enable Ghana to take every advantage of the decisive methods of research and development, which mark our modern world. It is essential to do this if we are to impart to our development, the acceleration which is required to break even with more advanced economies.
We have therefore been compelled to enter the field of atomic energy, because this already promises to yield the greatest economic source of power since the beginning of man. Our success in this field would enable us to solve the many-sided problems which face us in all the spheres of our development in Ghana and in Africa… We believe that the amount of energy, which can be generated in Ghana, can play a decisive role in the development of our industry, agriculture, health, and other services.”
Indeed, the use and impact of nuclear energy exceeds the bounds of electricity generation. And we covered all this in the ‘Atom for Peace’ series written together with the then Director of the Nuclear Power Institute—Dr. Buah-Kwofie’s predecessor—Dr. Seth Kofi Debrah, two years ago. In this series with Dr. Buah-Kwofie, we will delve further into this matter.
But first, an introduction
Dr. Archibold Buah-Kwofie is, as mentioned, the Ag. Director of the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). Like you, he is deeply passionate about this country of ours—and the continent at large. In 2007, he joined GAEC as a Trainee Research Scientist and in 2009, was promoted to the rank of a Research Scientist. Years later (2017), he attained a PhD in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, while continuing his service with the Commission.
He then went on to become a Principal Research Scientist. Passionate about research and the advancement of Ghana’s developmental journey, Dr. Buah-Kwofie has dedicated his professional life towards our nation and continent’s bid at developing a vibrant nuclear power programme.
Having served as Deputy Director of the NPI for four years, he was, just this year, appointed Ag. Director of the Institute, helping spearhead its vision of securing for the country, long-term energy security through a safe and sustainable peaceful nuclear energy programme.
Now that we are well-acquainted, a recap
I strongly recommend that you find time and read the Attempted Prophecies ‘Atom for Peace’ pieces. They are revealing. But for now, let me be so kind as to offer you a crash course on the issues covered in those articles.
Essentially, what we did in that series was start by detailing the origin story of nuclear power—its start as an exciting scientific discovery. With this discovery in the 1930s, this definition: ‘an atom is the smallest, indivisible part of a cell’ was no longer true.
Rather, scientists found that the uranium atom, when bombarded with neutrons, could, in fact, be divided into two. And even more so, that the divided pieces, with further bombardments, could be divided again, and again, and again… Endlessly. And in this endless chain reaction of bombardments and splits, energy was consequently released—copious amount of energy.
And just like that, nuclear power had been discovered. Still at a relatively early stage of humankind’s industrialisation journey, this discovery was indeed exciting! Just imagine what this boundless release of enormous power could do for industrialisation, consequently national growths!
But before the world could find answers to this, World War II happened. And no sooner had nuclear energy reached its full form than both the developed world—the West and East alike—were racing to transform its enormous power for their own morbid agenda.
Just like that, this outstanding scientific discovery found itself sitting in war rooms. Nuclear power had become the atomic bomb. On the infamous day of 6th August, 1945, the United States of America, seeking to lend a final stop to the raging six-year-old war, dropped the first ever atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan.
They were to follow it up, three days later, with yet another, this time around, on the city of Nagasaki. Word went out as cancerously fast as the deterioration caused by the A-bomb. Nuclear Energy had become, in the eyes of the general public, the atomic bomb. A tremendous fall from grace.
And ever since then, nuclear power has sought redemption. Sankofa—nuclear energy has sought a return to its old form. And more importantly, it has sought an acknowledgement, worldwide, of its first nature—its original intent as a force for good. The atom which is for peace—not for war.
This love must be true
It was important that we addressed this persistent elephant in the room—the atomic bomb—not only because Trump, a presidential candidate of the most powerful nation in the world, kept bringing it up during his conversation with Elon—one of the most powerful private individuals in the world. But more so, because of Japan…
Here is the thing, this great nation of Japan, it is up-to-date, worldwide, the ONLY victim of the atomic bomb. And as mentioned, not just on one instance—but twice so. And tragically, not only that, it is also, to this day, one of the very few nations, worldwide, to have suffered a nuclear power disaster. In the year 2011, a major earthquake and tsunami hitting northern Japan caused the Fukushima power plant to suffer a major meltdown. The devastation that resulted makes it, up to this day, the world’s second-most disastrous nuclear incident, coming right after Chernobyl.
And speaking of earthquakes and tsunamis, Japan, as many of us are aware, is one of the world’s most earthquake and tsunami prone nations.
One would think a country like this would never, in a million years, want anything to do with nuclear power—that it would swear off this power source. But interestingly the complete opposite is true. Not only does Japan have a functioning and illustrative nuclear power programme, it is also very consciously seeking to revive its closed down power plants and commission new ones. The country also has, for years, been one of the leading proponents of the civil use of nuclear power, globally.
During the mid-1960s, Japan, very surprisingly, responded to the call for the peaceful use of nuclear energy—the industrial and developmental use of nuclear power. According to the World Nuclear Association, nuclear power became the country’s “strategic priority.” So much so that up until the Fukushima disaster of 2011, Japan had some 33 nuclear power plants in operation, and was deriving 30percent of its electricity from this energy source. This was projected to increase to 40percent by 2017. But then the Fukushima disaster happened, and the nation’s nuclear plans understandably came to a halt.
“Sayōnara nuclear power”—goodbye, nuclear power—read the placards of Japan’s anti-nuclear protestors. Interesting.
This is interesting because by August – October of 2015—just some few years after the disaster—Japan restarted two of its nuclear power plants. W-why?
Why? Well, because it was during the 2010s—post its nuclear-power-shutdown—and Japan was finding itself in a hard place. The country was having to import around 90percent of its electricity. And fast-forward to the present day, the very early 2020s, the world, Japan inclusive, found itself plunged in a global energy crisis. This, for a highly industrialised nation such as Japan, was a recipe for disaster. A reliable and affordable source of power was imperative. Nuclear energy needed a return.
Ever since 2015, ten more of the afore-shutdown power plants have been restarted, with thirteen more in the pipeline, awaiting approval and recommissioning. The country plans to build new, next generation reactors, all the while extending the lifespan of old ones. By the year 2030, it wants the share of nuclear power in its energy mix to climb up to some 20 to 22percent—up from its current 5percent.
Indeed, the Japan nuclear power story begs the question: why?! If nuclear energy is so problematic, as panned by some, why this persistent return? A country not bitten once or twice, but thrice, yet here it is once again—over and over again, in fact—earnestly at nuclear energy’s doorstep, seeking admission…
“Ma bonne saint valentin”—my happy valentine—says France to its nuclear power plants. Oh, the world is well-aware of France’s deep love affair with nuclear power. Worldwide, the country has been adjudged the most deeply in love, when the matter of nuclear power is raised. Globally, it is the most reliant on nuclear energy—deriving about 70percent of its electricity therefrom, and having two-thirds of its populace strongly in favour of this energy source. Yet, I am willing to argue anytime, anywhere, that Japan’s love for nuclear power may just be deeper and truer. Because there is no truer love than love tested.
Why the persistent return, Japan?
Why Japan’s incessant return? Yes, the country’s love for nuclear must be really true—we’ve established that. But I must say, if there is one thing that we can be even more sure of, it is that fact that we humans, spread worldwide, can never love in the vacuum. We always have our reasons. “Yes, there are reasons for this.” Dr. Buah-Kwofie confirms.
“As I mentioned, any nation which is keen on its developmental journey will always strive to be energy sufficient. And nuclear power, it has proven itself time and time again to be a versatile and dependent source of clean energy. When you mention this energy source, many are inclined to think: electricity generation. But as I have mentioned, the impact of nuclear energy is very broad. It far exceeds the realm of electricity generation.
Take a look at our Commission, GAEC, for instance… Under the Commission are seven institutes, each having their own individual list of centres overseeing a broad variety of activities, impacting a wide variety of fields, from chemistry to physics, reactor technology, radiation protection therapy, human health and nuclear medicine, radiation processing biotechnology, food and nutrition, animal production, entomology (the study of insects), waste management, etc.
In fact—and this might surprise many—Ghana’s nuclear power programme has, since its inception in the 1960s, been impactful to almost all aspects of our individual and collective national lives, except the field of power generation. That is the only aspect we, as a country, are yet to utilise nuclear energy.”
Dr. Buah-Kwofie goes on to spell out in detail, these vast and varied ways in which nuclear energy impacts economies—using our very own country as a case study.
The reasons
So, it turns out that every time that you have stepped into a hospital requesting for yourself or a dependant, an X-ray, you have been at the doorstep of nuclear science. The inquiries you have made at the hospital regarding the sex of your baby, it is nuclear science that has provided you the needed answers. In order to sterilise hospital equipment, we employ the ingeniousness of nuclear technology. MRI, CT, PET scans, radiotherapy, etc., all employ the power of nuclear science.
Indeed, both cancer diagnosis and treatments rely heavily on nuclear technology. “And in fact, it took (and still takes) the complementary efforts of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) to establish and operationalise the radiotherapy centres of the Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.” Dr. Buah-Kwofie notes.
Now to the food we eat… We find nuclear energy at play here too.
In order to prolong the shelf-life of certain foods and fruits like apples, shellfish, meat (like poultry, pork, beef), vegetables, spices, herbal medicines, etc., these items are made to go through an irradiation process using gamma irradiation facilities.
This is where the bacteria contained in these food items are killed, so as to help preserve them, and consequently, prevent wastage and protect consumers from food poisoning. Essentially, most food items imported into the country have undergone this process.
In turn, those food items, we, as a country, export to other nations so as to boost our international competitiveness and increase our economic growth, also go through this scientific process of irradiation.
So yes, we all are already, very active consumers of nuclear energy—quite literally. “Nuclear techniques are also used in tissue culture to improve varieties of different agricultural products. The MD2 hybrid breed of pineapples, noted for their exceptional sweetness and consistency of taste and ripeness, and forming a growing crucial part of Ghana’s agricultural exports, are developed right here at the Commission, using nuclear techniques.
And it doesn’t end there. This same nuclear technology is used to develop tissue culture for the creation of different animal and insect breeds and varieties. For instance, using a technology called sterile insect technique, male tsetse flies are—as the name goes—sterilised to help drastically reduce their chances of procreating. This technology has gone on to result in the control of sleeping sickness—once endemic to the northern parts of our country.
Presently, a similar technology is being applied to mosquitoes. Research is still ongoing, but it is admittedly slow due to the lack of adequate funding. I reiterate, nuclear power has been so impactful across the board that the only sector which our country is yet to utilise it, is the realm of power generation.” Buah-Kwofie continues.
And the Ghanaian nuclear energy story gets even better, it turns out…
The black sheep, the Black Star
In the article ‘Atom for Peace: Atoning for Sins’, we recounted nuclear power’s journey towards redemption, spearheaded by the USA—the same nation that had been responsible for its fall from grace in the first place. In the year 1953—eight years after the horrid war—President Eisenhower stood before the General Assembly of the United Nations and read the famous ‘Atom for Peace’ speech, calling a worldwide truce on the destructive use of nuclear power, and a return to its initial purpose—nation building.
What ensued, during the period, was countries worldwide—for the sake of their own advancements not for the destruction of an enemy—investing in this power source, putting in place plans and structures for this peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Just four years after the speech by Eisenhower, our own country, led forth by Kwame Nkrumah, finally attained her long-sorted independence. Three years later, this independence was cast deeper in stone with our attainment of a republican status. And just some four years after becoming a republic, we were laying the foundation for the establishment of our own nuclear power programme.
The West had spent centuries curtailing our political and economic liberation as a people, but nothing could stop us from joining them in this race towards industrialisation and economic growth.
Because with nuclear power, we, for the first time as a people, were going to commence the journey almost alongside them—not behind them. Oh, indeed for the first time in our economic history as a people, we were going to start on an equal footing with these nations! Nkrumah, he had every reason to be ecstatic on that fateful day of 25th November 1964, during the foundation laying of GAEC.
“We are gathered here this afternoon to mark the beginning of Ghana’s Atomic Reactor Centre. This Centre, when completed, will enable Ghana to participate in the developments now taking place in Atomic Science… Our sole motive in reaching the decision to build the centre, which you now see rising before you, is to enable Ghana to take every advantage of the decisive methods of research and development, which mark our modern world.
It is essential to do this if we are to impart to our development the acceleration, which is required to break even with more advanced economies… Let me say that, in the age of Science & Technology, in this age of Atomic Revolution, neither Ghana nor Africa can afford to lag behind other nations, or to ignore the scientific development of our time.” He proclaimed.
Break even with more advanced economies, indeed…
But alas, this dream was not to be—at least not as quickly as Nkrumah envisaged it. The disruption of our political system in the years that followed his overthrow was to muddy the waters that was our nuclear dream.
But I have always wondered, the enjoyment of the diverse benefits of nuclear power aside (as already mentioned in this article), how impactful has our country Ghana been in this very close-knit space that is global nuclear science?
“As we have relied on the international nuclear community—overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)—to develop our own competencies, we in turn, have, over the years, also lent our knowledge and impact to this same international community.
Several of our staff have served and continue to serve as IAEA experts and consultants, given the mandate to go around the world to either review, train, and generally consult for other nations—helping them navigate their own nuclear journeys.
In fact, within Africa, Ghana ranks among the top three thought leaders when it comes to nuclear energy. Our nuclear power programme is seen as inspiration for other nations worldwide…”
[Side thought: I don’t know about you, but I was happy to hear that. Because very increasingly, it tends to feel like we as a nation have little to nothing to be proud of. So, I was very happy to hear that there still remain certain corners that we, as a people, wield some influence and command some level of respect.]
“But you know what they say: ‘a prophet is sometimes ‘doubted’ in their own home.” As I was ‘side-thinking’, Dr. Buah-Kwofie continued.
On that note, this has been Attempted Prophecies. We will continue this conversation next time.
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