Accra: The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) engaged stakeholders in Accra to solicit inputs into the proposed Ghana Meteorological Authority Bill, 2025, aimed at strengthening the country's meteorological governance framework and enhancing climate resilience. The proposed Bill seeks to transform GMet into the Ghana Meteorological Authority, with expanded regulatory powers, while retaining its role as the country's provider of weather and climate services.
According to Ghana News Agency, among the key provisions of the Bill are the establishment of a National Framework for Climate Services, licensing of meteorological operators, strengthening of early warning systems, and the creation of sustainable financing mechanisms through the National Meteorological Fund. Dr. Eric Asuman, Director-General of GMet, stated that the proposed Bill represents the Government's commitment to fortifying the country's meteorological services architecture to better respond to growing weather and climate-related challenges.
Dr. Asuman noted that weather and climate variability have become defining challenges of the era, with increasing frequencies of floods, droughts, rising temperatures, coastal erosion, and other climate-related hazards affecting lives, livelihoods, and national development. He emphasized that the engagement forms part of a broader consultative process to ensure that the legislation is passed after extensive stakeholder participation and consensus-building.
He explained that the Agency had issued a public call for comments on the draft Bill and had undertaken engagements with institutions involved in meteorological service delivery, climate governance, disaster management, infrastructure development, and economic planning. 'We recognize that the quality and effectiveness of any legislation is significantly enhanced when it benefits from diverse perspectives and practical experience,' he said, urging participants to provide frank, constructive, and solution-oriented recommendations.
Madam Barbara Barnes, Legal Practitioner and Director of Research, Statistics, and Information Management of the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, mentioned that the review of GMet's legislation is part of a broader exercise involving 15 bills under the Ministry. She highlighted that technological advancements and emerging trends necessitated the review of several laws.
Madam Barnes, also the Coordinator of the Legislative Review Exercise, said agencies under the Ministry have been tasked to identify implementation challenges associated with their existing laws and propose amendments. The Ministry received comments from the public and key stakeholders, she said, adding that the agencies were required to justify which recommendations could be incorporated and why some could not be adopted.
She noted that the revised draft Bill would be circulated to stakeholders again for further review before being submitted to Cabinet. She praised participants for their suggestions and urged them to submit written comments by June 16, 2026. 'The team would take about a week to review your written comments, incorporate those they can and give reasons as to why they can't include certain comments, after which you would be given another week to review the final draft,' she added.
The stakeholder engagement brought together representatives from various organizations including the Ghana Hydrological Authority, Minerals Commission, Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, and others. Some participants raised concerns about specific provisions of the draft legislation, particularly questioning the proposal to impose a 1.5 percent pre-tax levy on telecommunications infrastructure projects.
Participants called for stronger collaboration between the health sector and GMet, citing the growing relationship between climate conditions and disease patterns, as well as establishing a stronger presence within local assemblies to improve access to weather and climate information for planning purposes. The Ghana Standards Authority raised concerns over provisions relating to calibration services and the setting of national standards.
Participants further called for greater female inclusion in the composition of governance structures proposed under the Bill. MTN Ghana commended GMet for engaging industry players in the legislative process and pledged the company's support for future collaboration. The GMet assured stakeholders that the concerns raised would be addressed through further consultations and collaboration to ensure clarity and avoid duplication of responsibilities.
The proposed Ghana Meteorological Authority Bill, 2025, is expected to undergo further stakeholder review before being submitted to Cabinet for approval.