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Dr Joseph Oteng-Adjei, Minister for Environment Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) has paid a working visit to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GARC). He said it was culturally proper that as a new Minister for the sector he visits the various institutions under his Ministry to familiarize himself with their operations to help assess their progress and challenges. The Minister commended the Commission for their major task in developing the areas of personnel training, energy, water, agriculture, health, education, industry and the environment. The Commission by its mandate is expected to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country through the application of nuclear science and allied technologies in research and development, training and education as well as regulatory and technical services. Dr Oteng-Adjei challenged them to move further into commercializing all their products and services to maximize their internally generated funds for its own internal operations, without depending on government funding and support. "By doing so you would become more independent and be able to operate without any external interferences". Dr Oteng-Adjei, who was conducted around the facility by Prof Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko, Director-General of the Commission, indicated that by commercializing their services, they stand a better chance of introducing and expanding their innovative products to the public for more patronage and profit. Ghana's economy would further expand based on the various research knowledge and innovative exploits in areas such as agriculture, for more export and enhanced foreign exchange. He pledged that he would work hand in hand with the Commission to enhance their work, and urged them to invest in research to come out with interesting innovative ways of conserving energy and water preservation among others to speed up national development. He urged management to channel all difficulties faced in terms of inter-sectoral collaborations and re-imbursements, through the sector Minister for effective redress. Dr Innocent J.K Aboh, Deputy Director General of the Commission, who interacted with the Minster and his entourage on the functions and operations of the Organisation, said it lacked a National Regulatory Bill to empower it to become internationally viable. He appealed to the Minister to facilitate the implementation of the Bill to empower the Commission to operate its nuclear programmes free from sanctions from the IAEA and other international bodies. He said it is part of GAEC vision to become the leading organisation contributing to sustainable national prosperity through effective utilization of nuclear, biotechnology and other related technologies. He explained that currently the Commission has six institutes which include: the National Nuclear Research Institute, Radiation Protection Institute, Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute, the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences and the Ghana Space and Technology Institute. He said the Commission also focuses on maintaining relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other national and international organisations as well as collaborate with Universities and research institutes. Dr Aboh said the Commission however lacked adequate funding for its research activities and for training personnel as well as expanded infrastructure to enable it go fully commercial. He said more could be achieved if the Commission was well resourced, to play its role in national development especially in the areas of energy, water, agriculture, health, education and training, as well as in industry and the environment.