As part of its oversight mandate, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communications has embarked on a working tour of agencies under its supervision.
The visit included the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET), the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITI-KACE), and the Data Protection Commission
During the tour, each agency made a formal presentation to the committee, outlining their key achievements, ongoing projects, and major challenge.
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Discussions centered on how these institutions can be better supported to deliver on their mandates.
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Speaking to the media at the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Chairman of the Committee and Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu, Bandim Lamangin Abed-Nego, emphasised the critical need to equip GMET with modern tools and technologies.
He stated that accurate meteorological data is essential to national development and that GMET must be resourced adequately to deliver timely and reliable forecasts.
"GMET's operations cut across all sectors of the economy, from agriculture to aviation. It is therefore essential that the agency is given the support it needs to function effectively," Abed-Nego stated.
During their presentation, officials of GMET appealed to the committee to advocate for the agency to be granted authority status.
According to GMET, this would empower them to enforce regulations, improve their financial independence, and retain skilled personnel who are often lost to better-paying institutions.
"As Chair of the Committee, we will be recommending that government considers elevating GMET to an Authority status," he added.
He added that modernising GMET's infrastructure would significantly enhance the agency's forecasting capabilities and contribute to national planning and safety.
