Johannesburg: AfricUpdate – News Desk
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has commenced a series of high-level engagements aimed at developing Ghana’s first National Emergency Telecommunications Plan, a move designed to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response to natural disasters.
The engagements, which started on 11th August 2025 at the NCA Tower in Accra, bring together key stakeholders from Ministries, Sector Agencies, Mobile Network Operators, and the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications. The initiative, supported by the United Nations through the World Food Programme (WFP), seeks to integrate early warning systems into the national emergency strategy and ensure timely, reliable communication before, during, and after disasters.
In his opening remarks, the Director General of the NCA, Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, expressed concern over the country’s limited prioritisation of emergency preparedness, stressing the urgent need for coordinated action. He further disclosed plans for the NCA to establish an amateur radio station and other mechanisms to ensure effective communication during seismological and other disaster-related events.
The NCA’s role will focus on strengthening the communications infrastructure required to deliver timely warnings, ensuring that critical information reaches the public and relevant agencies without delay. The programme is being championed by the United Nations (UN) through the World Food Programme (WFP), and aims at enabling a timely and effective response before, during and after natural disasters.
