Timely Action on GMet Forecasts Could Have Prevented Drought Impact — Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful Calls for Stronger Collaboration
On Saturday, 14th September 2024, the Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, stressed the importance of collaboration with the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) to mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture and other sectors. Speaking during an engagement between GMet and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communications, along with the leadership of the Roads and Transportation Committee, she highlighted the recent drought in northern Ghana and how the challenges could have been averted if GMet’s forecasts were heeded in time.
The purpose of the meeting, held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, was to address the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) non-compliance with the Amended GMet Act 1002, 2019. However, the discussions extended beyond this issue, focusing on the agency’s role in national development.
Acting Director-General of GMet, Dr. Eric Asuman, used the platform to shed light on the vital services GMet provides across various sectors of the economy. He outlined the agency’s ongoing challenges, including outdated infrastructure, limited financial resources, and insufficient weather and climate services. To address these, Dr. Asuman mentioned initiatives like professional development, academic training, and internal refresher courses. He also called on the GCAA and the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) to fulfill their financial obligations to GMet, while advocating for amendments to the GMet Act to secure more diverse revenue sources, such as offshore oil and marine activities.
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, Vice Chairperson of the committee, further emphasized the need for GMet to enhance how they communicate weather information. “Accurate and consistent forecasts, with a charismatic presenter, could capture the public’s attention, especially the youth,” he remarked.
In her remarks, Minister Owusu-Ekuful highlighted the crucial role of GMet’s data in preventing the ongoing agricultural crisis. “With the current drought situation up north, GMet worked closely with the Ministry of Agriculture. If the Ministry had listened to the predictions earlier, and farmers had heeded the warnings, planting could have been timed better to avoid the challenges we face now. It is essential for all sectors to promptly act on the data GMet provides,” she stated.
The engagement concluded with a consensus on the urgent need for all stakeholders, especially the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, to comply with the GMet Act. Minister Owusu-Ekuful’s remarks underscored the importance of effective collaboration and the timely use of weather data to drive national development, prevent crises, and build resilience in critical sectors like agriculture.
