
WiN Ghana re-launched - Move to empower women in nuclear science, technology
The Women in Nuclear Ghana (WiN Ghana) chapter has been re-launched with a renewed commitment to empower women in nuclear science as a driver of Ghana’s socio-economic development.
The ceremony, held in Accra was themed: “Women in Nuclear Ghana: Strengthening the role women play in nuclear science for the socio-economic development of Ghana.”
Originally launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with six executives and 50 members, WiN Ghana faced significant challenges in its formative years and so with the re-launch, the group is poised to take impactful action.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Suweibatu Adams, emphasised that revitalising WiN Ghana was a strategic necessity for national advancement.
“Nuclear science is a catalyst for development in energy, health and agriculture, yet women remain underrepresented due to systemic barriers such as gender bias and limited mentorship,” she noted.
She highlighted that although the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) employed more than 250 women, fewer than 25 per cent occupy technical positions, with even fewer in leadership roles, despite the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences having trained approximately 150 women at the MPhil level and seven at the PhD level since 2006.
STEM education
Ms Adams advocated stronger STEM education initiatives targeting girls in secondary schools, equitable hiring practices free from gender bias and fair promotion processes.
She underscored the importance of mentorship, leadership development programmes and supportive work-life policies, including flexible work arrangements and childcare support.
Ms Adams pointed to the Affirmative Action Gender Equality Bill (2024), which mandates 30 per cent female representation in leadership by 2030 and the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy as critical enablers for progress.
The Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, reinforced the urgency of tackling underrepresentation, describing the event as a “revitalisation” rather than merely a re-launch.
He announced the 2024 appointment of Prof. Mary Adu-Poku to spearhead mentorship initiatives; a move aimed at combating imposter syndrome among women professionals.
“We need women not only at the laboratories but also at the decision-making table, building cross-generational networks, advocating nuclear science literacy and forging partnerships with WiN Global and African chapters,” he urged.
He celebrated trailblazers such as Prof. Aba Bentil Andam, a physics educator and advocate who served on GAEC’s board and impacted generations of scientists; Prof. Victoria Appiah, the first and only woman to serve as Deputy Director-General of GAEC; Prof. Josephine Nketsia Tabiri, the first female Director of BNARI; Prof. Paulina Amponsah, geophysicist and former Manager of Ghana’s National Data Centre associated with CTBTO; Prof. Mary Adu-Poku, foundational Director of RAMSRI and currently leading GAEC’s mentorship programme, urging younger women to “step up without waiting for perfection.”
In her address, Prof. Mary Adu-Poku, President of WiN Ghana and the event’s lead organiser, expressed optimism that the re-launch would reinvigorate efforts to advance women’s empowerment for Ghana’s socio-economic development.