Overhauling the Activities of Ghana Meteorological Agency through ICT

Abstract

Faced with the growing risks of weather and climate disasters to economic and social development, the global community needs to act quickly to strengthen National Meteorological and Hydrological Services. This strengthening must be done in a way that transforms the agency, especially in developing Ghana into a robust professional agency capable of delivering the right information to the right people at the right time. Although the cost of modernizing and sustaining the Ghana Meteorological Agency will be huge, the rewards for Ghana and its citizens will be much significant. This analytical work assesses the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET) for Hydrometeorology based on the user community needs. The analysis identifies gaps and challenges such as a deterioration of hydro meteorological observation networks and outdated technologies, and a lack of modern equipment and forecasting methods in producing and delivering weather, climate and hydrological information and services, and it lays out a technical technological and strategic framework for policy and decision makers in the Ministry of communication and the government at large. The Road Map postulates three scenarios, which are institutional strengthening and capacity building; modernization of observation, ICT and forecasting infrastructure; and enhancement of service delivery system for modernizing the GMET based on the potential cost and benefits of each while aiming at a greater national, regional and public good. The proposed scenarios target the GMET capacity: (i) to produce, manage, translate and communicate hydro-meteorological information to the user community; (ii) to assist the community in accessing, interpreting and using the information; (iii) to better disseminate and respond to warnings for public safety and economic security; (iv) to inform planning and decision making for cost-effective investments in climate-resilient development; and empowering its human resource; (v) identify red zone regions with these muddles. Strengthening these five pillars can help solidify Ghana’s resilience to natural hazards and climate change and help enhance the economic performance of such weather dependent sectors as agriculture, energy, transport and water resources management. This study recommends that, low-cost, high-priority activities are provided to achieve critical minimal capabilities to provide weather, climate and hydrological services and monetary investments are also needed to facilitate full modernization and bring the Ghana Meteorological Agency to the level of advanced middle income countries’ capabilities for providing data, forecasts and warning services to meet user needs.