Communications and Digitalization minister urges collaboration to mitigate climate change impact

Ghana's Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has reiterated the importance of collaboration with the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) to address climate change's impact on agriculture and other sectors. Speaking at a recent engagement between GMet and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communications, Owusu-Ekuful mentioned the recent drought in northern Ghana and how timely action on GMet's forecasts could have prevented its challenges.

The meeting, held at Accra's Alisa Hotel, aimed to address the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority's (GCAA) non-compliance with the Amended GMet Act 1002, 2019. However, discussions extended to GMet's role in national development, with Acting Director-General Dr. Eric Asuman outlining the agency's vital services across various sectors.

GMet faces challenges, including outdated infrastructure, limited financial resources, and insufficient weather and climate services. To overcome these, Dr. Asuman proposed initiatives like professional development, academic training, and internal refresher courses. He also called on the GCAA and Ghana Airport Company Limited to fulfill their financial obligations to GMet and advocated for amendments to the GMet Act to secure diverse revenue sources.

The Vice Chairperson of the committee, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, stressed the need for GMet to enhance its weather information communication. "Accurate forecasts, with a charismatic presenter, could capture the public's attention, especially the youth," he remarked.

The Minister the stressed GMet's data role in preventing agricultural crises. "If the Ministry of Agriculture had listened to GMet's predictions earlier, planting could have been timed better to avoid current challenges. It's essential for all sectors to act promptly on GMet's data," she stated.

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye