Driving Ghana’s nuclear power dream into reality: the team behind NPG’s successful journey thus far

Ghana’s quest to establish a nuclear power plant to fuel its industrialization agenda, which began several decades ago under the leadership of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the nation’s first president, was rekindled in 2002 under the presidency of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

Ex-President Kufuor, seeing nuclear power as a solution to the country’s energy problems, initiated a Nuclear Power Committee to study the issue.

Fast-forward, the Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG) was established in 2018 as the Owner/Operator of Ghana’s first proposed Nuclear Power Plant, and in July 2019, NPG was duly registered under the Companies Code of Ghana as a Limited Liability Company. NPG is housed in BPA Heights II in Accra.

As the Owner/Operator, NPG is responsible for project development and feasibility, plant and site licensing, regulatory compliance, construction, and commissioning, as well as ensuring that the plant is operational, maintained, and decommissioned in compliance with international best practices.

NPG’s activities commenced when some selected staff of Volta River Authority (VRA), Bui Power Authority (BPA), and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) were identified and seconded to form its initial core staff with Ing. Richard Nii Agyemfra Badger, Deputy Chief Executive (Engineering & Operations) of VRA, as the first Executive Director.

However, the overall policy decision, direction, and strategy of NPG is exercised by an 8-member Board. The members of the Board include Heads of Sponsoring Institutions involved in Ghana’s Energy Sector.

  The Project Management Team

The NPG is headed by an Executive Director, and is currently under the directorship of visionary Dr. Stephen Yamoah, who ensures that its mission, objectives, and the Board’s directives are effectively promoted to deliver Ghana’s first Nuclear Power Plant.

Dr. Yamoah directs strategies that support and enhance organisational operations and supervises the three critical key Departments that form the nucleus of the organisational structure, namely: Project Management, Engineering Development, and Public Affairs has chalked some significant milestones so far.

The Public Affairs department seems to be in the limelight always, considering the nature of its work. It has regular dealings with the media, the other two equally critical departments is not much seen or often heard of, and so I, as someone wanting to know about the activities of the organisation decided to find out more about the work of the other two departments ie; Project Management, and Engineering Developments.

  Ing. Andrew Tetteh Ashong, Head, Project Management Department, NPG

My first point of call was at the Project Management department, headed by Ing. Andrew Tetteh Ashong, and his team took me through their itinerary which includes; upholding global standards with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines, coordinating NPG’s activities, establishing Integrated Management Systems (IMS), managing information with precision, and Documentary control and process integrity.

The team also has the responsibilities of supporting procurement and Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, keeping project budget within scope, and ensuring that set performance targets (Departmental goals and executive reporting) are achieved within a stipulated time.

Upholding global standards

On the issues of upholding global standards with IAEA guidelines, Ing. Ashong in an interview, explained further that, unlike other fields, the nuclear power programme has a unique set of global standards and guidelines to follow, adding that going against a single one of them has a dire consequence.

Thus, it is very critical to adhere to the IAEA set standards in all aspects of NPG’s operations. These international guidelines, he noted, ensure that the project aligns with global nuclear safety and management benchmarks, reinforcing Ghana’s commitment to responsible and transparent nuclear energy development.

Coordinating the diverse activities

Another critical role of the Project Management Department is coordinating the diverse activities of NPG, from planning to implementation. This coordination ensures that each aspect of the project, from technical, legal, and operational, moves forward in harmony, hence reducing any bottlenecks and as well as promoting seamless collaboration across departments.

Deployment of IMS tools

To streamline and unify all operations within the organisation, NPG, according to the Manager of the Project Management Department, has deployed IMS that tie strategy to action. This Ing. Ashong, said it encompass not just technical frameworks but also extend to law, policy, human resources, recruitment procedures, and operational standards, hence laying a strong foundation for the long-term success of Ghana’s nuclear programme.

Information Management

Information Management (IM) within an organisation is very crucial, especially in the nuclear ecosystem, which is meticulous in sharing sensitive information. Ing. Ashong highlighted the department’s role in differentiating and handling confidential and non-confidential information with precision.

According to him, his department ensures that data is managed securely and in compliance with IAEA guidelines, which is a cornerstone of operational integrity at NPG.

Documentation

Closely related to IM is documentary control, which ensures that all project documents, ie, technical manuals, legal files, correspondence, are all kept accurate, up-to-date, and readily available upon request for audits or reviews. This process is Ing. Ashong said, is essential for maintaining traceability and accountability throughout the project lifecycle.

Procurement and IT Infrastructure

The Project Management Department also oversees procurement activities, ensuring that all goods and services acquired meet project specifications and timelines. In parallel, IT support services are being strengthened to enhance data management, digital communications, and cybersecurity, that has become key components in a modern nuclear infrastructure.

Keeping the Project’s Budget within Scope

One key basis of project management at NPG is ensuring that costs and scope remain on track. The manager of the Project Management Department noted that constant monitoring and evaluation are employed to avoid scope creep and budget overruns. Adherence to these controls ensures the project remains financially viable and logistically feasible.

Set performance targets

Each department at NPG has set performance targets. Ing. Ashong’s team is responsible for tracking these targets and reporting progress directly to the Executive Director of NPG. This systematic approach, he emphasised, enhances transparency and allows for timely course correction where necessary.

My final stop was at the Engineering Development department, were I met Mr. Alexander Agyenim Boateng, the Acting Manager, there he threw more light on the task his team of young and energetic men/women selected from Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), Energy Commission, Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA), and other State Agencies to drive the objectives of the Nuclear programme.

One thing that gave me joy was that all personnel in the engineering department are Ghanaians. This mirrors the potential and local expertise Ghana boasts in its quest to turn its dreams of having a nuclear power plant into reality.

The Engineering Development Team in action

Speaking on the engineering side of operations, Mr. Agyenim Boateng revealed that the department has conducted extensive surveys across five regions for site selection.

These surveys, he explained, involved both qualitative and quantitative analysis to rank sites suitable for the establishment of the country’s first nuclear power plant. As we speak, a suitable site and a backup site have been identified, thus marking a significant milestone for the construction phase.

The Acting Manager, Engineering Development, also disclosed that the engineering team is currently working on detailed design parameter studies and a basic environmental impact assessment.

These studies, he noted, are essential to ensure that the nuclear plant is not only technically feasible but also environmentally sustainable.

As Ghana moves toward establishing its first nuclear power plant, the combined efforts of dedicated professionals like Ing. Ashong, Mr. Boateng, a team of young and energetic men/women coupled with other technical expertise from GAEC are laying a firm foundation for a secure, sustainable, clean energy for Ghana’s industrial agenda.

With the excellent teamwork shown by the three key departments, and the transparency and accountability shown by the leadership of NPG, Ghana’s desire to become the first country in the Sub-Saharan Africa region to build and operate a nuclear power plant is near in sight.

At this juncture, let me shut a very big Ayekoo to all the dedicated individuals. Indeed, your work will never go unnoticed as your name will be written in gold when history is been told to our generation yet to be born.

Article by: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH