The beginning of what is now the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) could be traced as far back as 1952 when the use of radioisotopes began in Ghana. At that time, radiostrontium was used in experiments on monkeys.

In 1958, the Physics Department of the University College of the Gold Coast (now University of Ghana, Legon) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence started radioactive fallout monitoring service.

By the end of 1959, work in radioisotope applications in Ghana had sufficiently gained ground in a number of institutions to justify the establishment of a Radioisotope Unit