The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has partnered with media practitioners in the Eastern Region to improve public awareness of weather hazards through a one-day training in Koforidua.
Under the theme, “Advancing Early Warnings for All: Media as a Lifeline,” the workshop equipped journalists from print, broadcast, and online platforms with skills to communicate timely, accurate, and actionable weather information to the public.
Speaking at the Capital View Hotel event, Dr. Ignatius Kweku Williams, Acting Deputy Director General of GMet, emphasized the media’s vital role in saving lives during extreme weather events. “Early warnings only make a difference when they are understood by the public. The media is our bridge to communities,” he said.
The training covered impact-based forecasting, marine and public weather services, and strategies for delivering messages during climate emergencies. Experts including Mrs. Felicity Ahafianyo, Head of GMet’s Central Analysis Unit, provided insights into Ghana’s bimodal rainfall patterns in the south and unimodal rains in the north, as well as harmattan dry seasons. She stressed the link between climate variability and public health, urging journalists to raise awareness of climate-related health risks such as disease outbreaks.
Participants engaged with senior meteorologists Joshua Asamoah, Thomas Biney, and Esther Egbuka, who guided sessions on interpreting forecasts and reporting on the minor rainfall season in southern Ghana. Challenges like misinformation, limited access to meteorological data, and the need for stronger collaboration between media and scientific institutions were also discussed.
Journalists praised the initiative for enhancing their ability to deliver life-saving information to communities. “This training has equipped us to better serve our communities with timely and reliable weather updates,” said Ms. Candida Dery, a participant.
The workshop forms part of GMet’s national strategy to embed media into Ghana’s early warning framework and plans are underway to extend similar trainings to other regions, strengthening climate resilience nationwide.
