Accra, March 4, GNA – Dr. Eric Asuman, Director-General, Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), has proposed that the Ghana Statistical Service develops an economic indicator for weather and climate services to inform economic policy.
He explained that weather and climate services had impact on Ghana’s economy, particularly on Agriculture, which contributed largely to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
The Director-General was speaking at the launch of the 3rd edition of Meteorological Awareness Month (MAM) and the Seasonal Forecast for the Southern part of Ghana, under the theme, “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together,” in Accra.
MAM is a flagship program of the GMet, initiated two years ago, to amplify the visibility and impact of weather and climate services for socio-economic development.
This year’s World Meteorological Day (WMD) celebration has been extended throughout the month, though it is traditionally observed on March 23 to mark the 1950 establishment of the World Meteorological Organisation.
It highlights the vital role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in safeguarding lives, property, and promoting sustainable development.
The activities for MAM 2025 included media engagements on the state of the climate report and seasonal forecast, engagements with eminent groups, GMet National Outreach Campaigns, introduction of the “Dawuro” national campaign on the 2025 Seasonal Forecast, among others.
DrAsuman said MAM was a vital bridge, to foster collaboration between GMet and its users, strengthening collective efforts towards food security, disaster risk reduction, and a climate-resilient Ghana.
He said the escalating frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, climate variability, and climate change impacts including floods, droughts, rising temperatures, coastal inundation, and air pollution were of great concern for the nation.
“The WMO reports that Africa accounts for 35 per cent of weather, climate, and water-related fatalities, yet only 40 per cent of our continent’s population has access to effective early warning systems,” he added.
He said the report projected that by 2030, up to 118 million extremely poor Africans would face increased exposure to drought, floods, and extreme heat, jeopardising poverty alleviation efforts and hindering economic growth.
Dr Asuman said these statistics resonated deeply with the experiences in Ghana, where the impacts of extreme weather and climate hazards were increasingly evident.
He said the Early Warning for All (EW4All) initiative aimed to ensure global protection from hazardous weather, water, and climate events by 2027.
Dr Asuman said Ghana launched its EW4All initiative in October 2024, with various stakeholders to develop a comprehensive EW4All roadmap, aligning early warning systems with National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national policies.
He said GMet’s ongoing global Common Alerting Protocols (CAP) pilot provided a strong foundation for its national rollout, where the Agency’s website integrated with CAP exemplified their commitment to digital transformation and enhanced climate services.
“By working together, we can create more inclusive and robust early warning systems that protect communities and strengthen business resilience,” he added.
Mr Charles Badoo, Director of Administration, GMet, said over the years GMet had received noticeable support from the government, development partners, public institutional stakeholders, and the public.
He added that there was the need to continuously invest in quality equipment for the gene
GNA