GMet to introduce FASTA App to improve forecasting
The Ghana Meteorological Agency is collaborating with the Leeds University to introduce an app known as “Forecasting African Storms App” (FASTA).
The App, according to the Director-General of GMet, Dr Eric Asuman, would vastly improve location specific forecasts.
Dr Asuman announced the introduction of App when the GMet received International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 9,001 certificate at its Head Office in Accra yesterday.
The certificate, which was awarded by the Lead Auditor TCG- UK, Dean Moriarty, was in recognition of the agency’s commitment to quality management and excellence, following a rigorous audit process.
“Strengthening digital infrastructure to facilitate speedier, more transparent service delivery both for public weather forecasts and specialised aeronautical needs,” he said.
“For this aspect, GMet is collaborating with the Leeds University to introduce an app known as “Forecasting African Storms App” (FASTA). This is an App that will vastly improve location specific forecasts, especially in relation to nowcasting,” he added.
Dr Asuman also stated that GMet was working closely with the Danish Meteorological Institute to develop a Climate Atlas that would provide a projected outlook for Ghana to span the next 50 to 100 years.
He also mentioned that work was in progress to expand the agency’s calibration laboratory capacity to serve more regional and international clients.
Furthermore, Dr Eric Asuman noted that the moment marked an important milestone in the agency’s journey towards continuous improvement and global best practices, the implementation and re-certification of our ISO 9001:2015 standards.
The certification, he said, reaffirmed GMet’s commitment to quality, reliability, and excellence in meteorological services.
“This certification is not just a piece of paper. It represents our promise, to deliver accurate, timely, and high-quality meteorological products and services that meet the needs of national and international stakeholders. From aviation safety to disaster preparedness, our work is critical, and today, we reinforce our dedication to excellence,” he explained.
For his part, Dean Moriarty underlined that GMet had demonstrated a strong commitment to quality and excellence service, with a robust quality management system in place, adding that the agency’s ability to trace equipment calibration to accredited laboratories was particularly noteworthy.
It is against this backdrop that he highlighted that his outfit was awarding the Agency with the requisite or correct processes and certifications to enable it to deliver its services effectively.
He commended the Director-General and the management for their commitment and dedication in ensuring that GMet’s equipment was calibrated to international standards.
However, he indicated that certification was not a one-time achievement, but rather an ongoing process stating that GMet would be subjected to annual audits to ensure that its quality management systems remained in place and continued to meet international standards.
BY CYNTHIA ASAMPANA
