Ghana: Ghana is adopting geospatial and other new technologies to plan future healthy cities, a senior government official said. “It is a powerful and effective decision-making tool at various levels that will lead to overall development of the region,” said Sherry Ayittey, Ghana’s minister of environment, science and technology at the opening of the maiden Africa Geospatial Forum here.
Geospatial technology would be used to enhance groundwater exploration, forest surveillance, meteorology, weather forecast, resources inventory and environmental and disaster management, Ayittey said.
According to her, the technology, if well-developed, could assist in carrying out cost-effective surveillance over the country’s coastline to ensure the safety of its oil and gas resources.
“We must map our land, our natural resources, as well as utilities so that our planning can improve. We must map the areas of need because those are our points of service where delivery should take place in terms of infrastructure and other services that our people deserve to enjoy,” she stressed.
The minister said the government’s appreciation of the importance of geospatial technology to socio-economic development had led to the creation of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Center with a view to using remote sensing satellite imagery and other GIS applications for sustainable development to enhance the quality of life for all.
Ayittey called for continued collaboration among interested parties to further develop useful technologies that would make meaningful differences to people’s lives and the conditions in Africa.
Source: Coast Week
