GMet Strengthens Aeronautical Meteorological Capacity Through Refresher Training
The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has commenced a five-day Aeronautical Meteorological Refresher Training Programme for staff of the Accra International Airport Meteorological Office, with emphasis on strengthening operational capacity, improving compliance with international and domestic standards, and keeping staff abreast of emerging developments in aeronautical meteorology.
The first batch of the training, being held from 24 to 28 August 2026 at the Ellking Hotel, East Legon, Accra, brings together meteorologists and meteorological technicians from the Airport Meteorological Office. A second batch is scheduled for 31 August to 4 September 2026 to allow the Office to maintain operational coverage under its shift system.
A key addition to the training is space weather forecasting, an area identified as requiring greater attention in the provision of aeronautical meteorological services. The Officer in Charge of the Accra International Airport Meteorological Office, Mr. Raphael Osei Boakye, who also serves as one of the facilitators for the programme, explained that GMet had recently sent a delegation to South Africa to learn more about space weather services, with the knowledge subsequently incorporated into the training to bring staff in line with current developments and requirements.
The training is intended to refresh and strengthen knowledge in critical aspects of airport meteorological operations, while ensuring that staff are better equipped to deliver services that meet applicable World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and domestic standards.
Opening the training, the Director-General of GMet, Dr. Eric Asuman, said capacity building remained a major priority for the Agency as it seeks to position itself as a centre of excellence not only in Ghana but across the sub-region. He stressed that training should not be treated as an end in itself but should result in measurable improvements in operational performance.
He challenged participants to approach the programme with the mindset of future trainers, saying the knowledge acquired should be applied in their work and shared with others.
The Director-General also disclosed that GMet is working towards establishing a WMO-accredited Regional Training Centre in Ghana, with Dr. Ernest Afiesimama, a former WMO Regional Programmes Manager with extensive experience in meteorology and regional capacity development, supporting the Agency as a consultant in the process.
The Deputy Director-General, Operations, Dr. Ignatius Kweku Williams, reinforced the need for participants to demonstrate how knowledge gained through training is applied in their respective workplaces. He cited a recent Python training where knowledge acquired had already been used by a staff member to automate the production of a climatological bulletin, describing such practical application as the kind of outcome GMet expects from its capacity-building initiatives.
The Deputy Director-General, General Services, Ms. Vivian Abla Kally, also called on participants and instructors to give the programme their full commitment, stressing that the impact of the training should be reflected in the quality of GMet’s products and services to the public.
The training is therefore expected to strengthen the technical competence of aeronautical meteorological personnel, improve the delivery of aviation weather services, support compliance with applicable standards, and ultimately contribute to safer and more efficient aviation operations.
For GMet, the programme forms part of a broader and continuing investment in its people building the competencies required to deliver reliable meteorological services today while preparing the Agency to take on a stronger regional role in professional training and capacity development.
©️GMet Communications