Lands Minister offers Geological Survey Authority modern earthquake network

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has offered the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) a respite in monitoring earthquake zones across the country.

The offer will aid in tackling the biggest challenge confronting the operations and official functions of the Authority.

The Minister, who has vowed to position departments and agencies under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, championed the installation of twenty-one (21) new network stations across southern Ghana to boost the national seismic network in monitoring and evaluating disasters, especially earthquakes across the country.

“The replacement of the national seismic networks is to properly position the Geological Survey Authority to function properly,” Armah-Kofi Buah said.

“The Authority can detect earthquakes quickly and accurately, determine the location, depth, and magnitude of earthquakes. The network monitors seismic activity to identify areas prone to earthquakes, provides data for disaster preparedness and response. In fact, it also supports research on the Earth's crust and tectonic movements.

Today, the Authority can help government and emergency agencies develop early warning and risk mitigation measures,” he added.

The Minister disclosed this while interacting with management of the Authority, who paid a courtesy call on him to brief him about the completion of installation of the new seismic networks.

He underscored the important role the Ghana Geological Survey Authority plays in monitoring and evaluating disasters in the country, particularly in the areas considered earthquake zones.

Officials of the Authority, who appeared excited, told the Minister that but for his intervention, the Authority did not have any seismic network to monitor activities, since the previous one, which was installed in 2012, had become outdated and obsolete, thereby rendering the Authority toothless.

According to the Authority: “Replacement of the obsolete network is timely and appropriate.

The installation of the 21 new stations across the southern part of the country is not only timely but must be considered as the solution to monitor and evaluate earthquake zones. With this new technology, we can even monitor through our phones; that’s the technology.”

The networks will assist the Authority to work effectively and efficiently in the discharge of its duties.

“Indeed, the Authority will be able to deliver timely reports on earthquake-prone areas and advise government accordingly.

Aside that, the Authority will be properly positioned to carry out disaster risk management building code formulation.

In addition, land use policies against dangers associated with them will all be checked and addressed.

In terms of early warning signals of earthquakes, the institution will detect violations and advise accordingly.”

The Director-General of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, Dr Prosper Akaba, explained why the intervention of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to improve the functions of the Authority remained crucial.

According to him, since 2012, the Authority has not been able to change the networks operating in order to provide accurate and timely information on earthquakes in the country.

The company that fixed the 2012 model, Nanometrics Inc. Canada, has once again been contracted by government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority to carry out the installation of the 21 new stations.

Two engineers from the company, who have been in Ghana for the past few weeks to carry out the installation of the stations, confirmed what has transpired and what has been achieved.

Tarun Philip, Systems Engineering Specialist of Nanometrics Inc. Canada, and Iain Avis, Field Engineer, confirmed meeting the completion deadline of the project, which is expected to be commissioned soon.

The two engineers are confident that the Authority can now offer accurate information on earthquakes and other related disasters due to the installation of the new network.

The Ghana Geological Survey Authority is a state agency under Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources responsible for geoscientific research and the monitoring of geological hazards across the country.

Its core functions include geological mapping and research, earthquake and seismic monitoring, mineral exploration support, geo-hazard assessment and disaster risk reduction, provision of geoscientific data for national development, and monitoring earth tremors and related activities.

The Authority plays a major role in Ghana’s national seismic monitoring system, especially in earthquake-prone areas such as parts of southern Ghana, including Accra.