Koforidua: The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has held a one-day training in Koforidua to enhance the capacity of journalists in the Eastern Region to communicate weather-related information effectively to the public. The workshop, themed 'Advancing Early Warnings for All: Media as a Lifeline,' brought together reporters from various media houses including print, broadcast, and online platforms. It was hosted at the Capital View Hotel and featured expert-led sessions on marine and public weather services, impact-based forecasting, and strategies for effective communication during extreme weather events.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Ignatius Kweku Williams, Acting Deputy Director General in charge of operations at GMet, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the critical role of journalists in building resilient communities. He stated that early warnings only save lives when they are timely, accurate, and understandable, highlighting the media as a crucial bridge to the public. Mrs. Felicity Ahafianyo, Head of the Central Analysis Unit of GMet, provided insights into Ghana's climate patterns, noting the alternating dry and wet seasons experienced in the country. She explained that the southern sector has a bimodal rainfall pattern, while the northern sector experiences a unimodal rainfall season. Additionally, the dry season, known as harmattan, occurs from December to February.
Mrs. Ahafianyo presented long-term climate data showing that annual rainfall in Ghana ranges from 700 millimetres to 2,030 millimetres, with average temperatures between 22°C and 32°C. The workshop also addressed the intersection of climate and public health, highlighting the risks posed by climate variability to the health sector, particularly the spread of diseases. She called for strengthened public education through national disaster risk reduction platforms, utilizing various community channels.
Participants interacted with senior meteorologists, including Joshua Asamoah, Thomas Biney, and Esther Egbuka, who facilitated sessions on GMet's services and the forecast for the minor rainfall season in southern Ghana. The training addressed challenges such as misinformation, limited access to meteorological data, and the need for stronger collaboration between media and scientific institutions. Journalists expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that the workshop improved their understanding of weather systems and reporting techniques.
The event is part of GMet's broader strategy to integrate media into Ghana's national early warning framework, with plans to replicate similar workshops in other regions.
