Govt moves to elevate Ghana Meteorological Agency to Authority status

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has unveiled plans to transform the Ghana Meteorological Agency into a full-fledged Authority, describing the move as a decisive step to strengthen the nation’s climate resilience and weather intelligence systems.

He explained that the reform forms part of an ongoing legislative review designed to broaden the institution’s mandate and enhance its operational independence. The upgrade, he said, will empower the agency with stronger policy backing and greater institutional capacity to respond to the growing pressures posed by climate variability, extreme weather events and disaster risks.

Speaking in Accra at the launch of the 2026 Meteorological Awareness Month and the presentation of the 2026 Seasonal Forecast for Southern Ghana, the Minister underscored the urgency of the reform. He pointed to rising flood incidents, erratic rainfall patterns and increasing weather-related emergencies as clear signals that Ghana must modernise and reinforce its forecasting architecture.

“Weather hazards cannot be prevented, but their impact can be significantly reduced through early information, preparedness and responsible action. And one of the key things that we are doing in this legislative review is to actually upgrade the mandate of the Meteorological Agency from being an agency to an authority to give them more policy power.”

The event attracted a cross section of stakeholders including policymakers, climate scientists, emergency management institutions, aviation operators, agricultural experts and maritime authorities. All depend heavily on accurate and timely meteorological data to guide decision making, protect lives and safeguard investments.

The agency’s seasonal outlooks, aviation weather services and early warning bulletins remain critical tools for farmers planning planting cycles, airlines ensuring flight safety, shipping operators navigating coastal waters and urban planners managing flood risks.

The proposed elevation to Authority status signals government’s intention to place climate intelligence at the centre of national planning and disaster preparedness efforts.