Meteorological Agency receives ISO certification for safety, disaster preparedness

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has secured the international standard organisation’s quality certification, (ISO) 9001:2015, reinforcing its credibility in safety and disaster preparedness. 

The certification, a global benchmark for quality, competence and continuous improvement, affirms the agency’s commitment to maintaining a robust quality management system that consistently meets stakeholder expectations.

A quality, safety and environmental consulting service, Gibson Safety Consult, together with an international certification group in the UK, conducted the necessary checks and inspections of the agency, in compliance with international standards. 

Significance

The certification brings significant benefits across various sectors, including aviation, agriculture, disaster management and policymaking.

Airlines, farmers and emergency response agencies can now rely on GMet’s meteorological data and forecasts with greater confidence and in line with international standards.

Additionally, the structured quality system enables proactive risk management and improved safety in weather-related decision-making.

The Director-General of GMet, Eric Asuman, described the certification as a testament to the agency’s unwavering commitment to delivering quality meteorological services.

“It reflects our collective effort to maintain excellence, transparency and trust for all stakeholders, including aviation partners, government agencies, private sector clients and the general public.

“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 added.

Programmes

Mr Asuman said that GMet planned to expand its calibration laboratory capacity to serve more regional and international clients.

The agency, he said, was also working on renovating one of its old blocks to transform it into a world-class research facility equipped with state-of-the-art meteorological tools.

To strengthen digital infrastructure, Mr Asuman said they were also collaborating with Leeds University in the UK to introduce a Forecasting African Storms app (FASTA), which would vastly improve location-specific forecasts, particularly for nowcasting.

Additionally, he said the agency had partnered the Danish Meteorological Institute to develop a Climate Atlas to provide climate projections for Ghana, spanning the next 50 to 100 years.

“Even as we celebrate this ISO certification, we remain focused on innovation and progress.

We are also working towards securing an ISO 17025:2017 certification, which focuses on the competence of testing and calibration laboratories to ensure that our methods, measurements, and results meet the highest levels of accuracy and reliability,” Mr Asuman said. 

Milestone

The Consultant and Auditor at Gibson Safety Consult, Dean Moriarty, said it was crucial for an organisation like GMet working with international partners and suppliers, to have the right processes and certifications in place to effectively deliver its services.

Achieving ISO 9001 certification, he said, was an incredible milestone, as the audit process was rigorous with very little flexibility in meeting certification standards.

“I am delighted to officially award the ISO 9001 certification to the agency. However, certification is not a one-time event.

We will return each year for re-audits to ensure ongoing compliance with legal, regulatory, client and supplier requirements,” he added.