Ghana to Implement a National Framework for Climate Services

By Rachel Sarpong

A Deputy Minister for Communications, Mr. Vincent Odotei Sowah, has indicated that the government is keen on retooling the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) to take the needed action to attain the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13.

Addressing participants at a three-day workshop on the establishment of a National Framework for Climate Services in Ghana last Wednesday in Accra, Mr Sowah explained that the National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS) would focus on key areas in the agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, health, disaster and risk management sectors, hence, the need for GMA to be equipped with weather modern monitoring equipment.

The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Communications in collaboration with the Ghana Meteorological Agency, focused on the Global Framework of Climate Services (GFCS) as well as building a roadmap for the implementation of meteorological, climatological, and hydro-meteorological industry in Ghana.

"Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communication will ensure that the Framework is fully implemented," the Deputy Minister assured.

He expressed government's appreciation to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the Secretariat of the Global Framework for Climate Services for supporting member countries to develop and implement their NFCS.

The Regional Coordinator of NFCS, Dr. Pascal Yaka, noted that the NFCS would provide the government and other stakeholders a platform to make input on how climate information services could be used in solving weather, water and climate diseases.

For his part, the Director of Environment, ECOWAS, Dr Johnson Boanu, stated that the WMO adopted a plan in 2012 to implement NFCS and encouraged member states to implement their NFCS.

According to him, ECOWAS developed a meteorological program, which has been adopted by member states and has provided support to Benin, Togo, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and the Gambia from 2017 to start the process.

The workshop was organised with support from the Global Framework of Climate Services (GFCS), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Economic Community of West African States.

As part of efforts in accessing information for the NCSF, a trip was organised to Somanya in the Yilo Krobo District to solicit information from farmers on their needs and views on climate services.

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