By Barbara Nwaiwu
The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has disclosed that Ghana loses about 200 million dollars annually to floods and droughts, warning that the economic and human costs of climate-related disasters could continue to rise without stronger early warning systems and resilience measures.
The update was announced on Friday in Accra by GMet Deputy Director General, Mr. Ignatius Williams, during a courtesy visit by a team from the Climate Beyond Borders Caravan (CBBC), an initiative of the People, Planet and Peace Foundation.
Williams said Ghana continues to face increasing climate hazards that cost the country billions of dollars and claim hundreds of lives, underscoring the need for improved preparedness and adaptation strategies.
According to him, recent climate related disasters have had significant impacts on livelihoods, agriculture and communities across the country.
“In 2023, the impact of the Akosombo Dam spillage caused severe flooding that devastated livelihoods, displaced thousands of families and resulted in losses estimated at about 141 million dollars.”
“In June 2015, the Accra flood disaster caused massive economic losses, claimed more than 200 lives and resulted in food losses estimated at 108 million dollars.”
“In 2024, documented drought impacts affected 135,822 farmers across 571,745 hectares of farmland,” he said.
Williams noted that the losses associated with floods and droughts would continue to increase if investments in climate resilience and early warning systems are not strengthened.
Also speaking, Mr. Joseph Portuphy, Deputy Director of Synoptic Meteorology and Forecasting at GMet, said the agency was established to provide efficient, reliable and timely meteorological and climate information to support national development and public safety.
He explained that the agency fulfils its mandate through the collection, processing, archiving and dissemination of accurate weather data for socio-economic development, disaster risk reduction and the protection of lives and property.
“GMet’s operational policy is guided by the Ghana Meteorological Agency Act, 2004 (Act 682), and focuses on providing specialised forecasts to protect lives and property, particularly in the aviation, maritime and agricultural sectors.”
“The agency also promotes the integration of climate services into national policies to strengthen resilience against extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and sea-level rise,” he said.
Contributing to the discussion, Mrs. Felicity Ahfianyo of GMet’s Central Analysis and Forecasting Department said the agency had intensified efforts to ensure that all meteorological operations, data handling processes and equipment calibrations comply with the standards and protocols of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
According to her, GMet serves as the sole authority for official weather data in Ghana and makes climate records available to the public and researchers through its publications.
In a related development, Chief Osim Kwatia II of the Amanor Krom Kingdom commended participants of the Climate Beyond Borders Caravan during a visit by the team to his palace.
The traditional ruler stressed the importance of cooperation among governments, communities and organisations in addressing the growing challenge of climate change.
“We see climate change as a collective challenge and will continue to support efforts aimed at addressing it.”
“Keeping the environment clean and green requires collective action and collaboration,” the chief said.
