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Professor Samuel Dampare, Director General, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), has expressed concerns over encroachment of the Commission's lands by the public.

He said the encroachment was hampering operations and the progress of work of the Commission.

“One of the challenges we are facing is the encroachment of our lands and if nothing is done to protect this national asset well and people take the land, we will not be able to perform research to support the country and socio-economic development," Prof. Dampare said when he closed a workshop for media professionals on nuclear energy in Accra.

The three-day workshop was to provide journalists with the requisite knowledge and information on nuclear energy, which has been identified as the best and most reliable energy generation option for Ghana.

Prof. Dampare said GAEC was working in collaboration with the Lands Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to address the issue.

According to experts, Ghana's current source of power, including hydro and renewable options can not support sustainable energy.

Ghana has, therefore, intensified efforts to add nuclear power to its energy mix – and the plan is to build and operate the country’s first nuclear power plant by 2030.

Professor Dampare said with the current power challenges facing the country, there was the need for a reliable base load power,  hence the need for the adoption of nuclear energy to complement the existing energy resources.

“Nuclear technology is a unique technology to help our country and to impact society so it’s something we all need to support,” he added.

At the media workshop, key issues discussed were public perception and safety issues relating to nuclear energy, which remained a matter of concern among the public.

Participants also had the opportunity to tour GAEC's facility to familiarise themselves with the operations.