The Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has launched a flood app dubbed “My Flood Risk Accra App” which allows users to monitor the water-levels in their neighborhood or Municipality to inform the possibilities of flooding.
It also has multiple flood maps (locations) different return periods and literacy information on the preparedness, prevention, response and recovery measures”.
The app was developed by HKV, in collaboration with GIZ, Allianz and GMET, as part of the “Developing Risk Management Approaches for Climate and Health Risk” Programme.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ms. Ama Pomaa Boateng on Thursday, 23rd September, 2021, the Minister said it is important that science-based information about floods is easily accessible and communicated to the general public as high-impact weather events keep increasing.
She further explained that the app provides you with weather forecast and the estimated rainfall amount over the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) for effective planning and decision-making.
“The fact that we can sit in the comfort of our homes or offices and receive prompts of rainfall forecast or weather warnings with remote access to the flooding situation in our homes comes as a huge relief for those who stay or have constituencies in these flood-prone areas. The development of this app is part of ways to deal with the perennial situation of flooding which has often resulted in the loss of lives and properties” she said.
According to Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, if citizens are forewarned of the possibility of rains leading to flooding and able to assess prevailing water levels in times of rains, it will assists in taking precautionary steps to save lives and properties.
“ I take note of the fact that Assemblies in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) have been active participants of this project from the inception stage to this point. The Minister expressed appreciation to GIZ and Allianze, and encouraged the Ghana Meteorological Agency to double up efforts to engage other partners and consider Public-Private Partnerships (PPP’s) in the process to digitize all other aspects of their operations.
“I want to see a vigorous campaign launched to get the general public to download and use the app. I want to see the app feature prominently on the phones and electronic devices of people as it assures that we are making headway in the efforts to mitigate the impact of flooding”.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo and his Government intend to retool GMET with all the equipment and infrastructure it needs to make it a center of excellence in applied meteorology in the sub-region. She pledged the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that we provide the needed assistance as far as the Digitalisation of GMET services are concerned.
