The Ghana Meteorological Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019 has gone through the Second Reading after a report on it was laid and presentated by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications.
The motion on the Ghana Meteorological Agency (Amendment) Bill was moved by the Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation and Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei.
Presenting the Committee’s report at the Plenary, the Chairman for the Communications Committee, Mr. Fredrick Opare-Ansah, stated that the amendment, which provides for a secure and sustainable source of funding would help the Agency improve the conditions of service of staff and thereby, reduce the high attrition rate.
He added that the Bill will also enable the Agency attract and retain the right calibre of persons for employment.
Mr. Opare Ansah informed the House that the Agency informed the Committee that with the passage of the Bill, it would be able to raise a minimum of Gh¢41 million in the year, 2020.
Chairman for the Committee added that the amount to be generated will far exceed the annual budgetary allocation of about Gh¢22 million to the Agency for year 2019.
He reiterated that the amendment will bring about some certainty and predictability in the financing of meteorological activities and programmes and provide a secure and sustainable source of funding for the Ghana Meteorological Agency.
Committee’s report
The Committee observed that Clause 1 of the Bill seeks to amend subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 4 of the Act.
Per the current law, the Geography Department of the University of Ghana is the only institution required to have a representative on the Governing Board of the Agency.
The amendment therefore, is to increase the pool of tertiary institutions from which the President can appoint a representative.
Clause 2 of the Bill is to also amend section 4 of Act 682, to specify the percentage of charges to be used as sources of money for the National Meteorological Fund.
The Committee having thoroughly examined the Bill, is of the considered view that the amendments will to a large extent, enable the Ghana Meteorological Agency raise adequate funds and reposition it to effectively deliver on its mandate of providing cost-effcctive weather and climate services, to support the sustainable socio-economic development of the country.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
