Ghana to establish national space agency

Ghana has begun the process of establishing a national space agency to better coordinate space science and technology for national development. Cabinet has approved the initiative, which involves drafting the necessary legislation and institutional frameworks to transition the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) into a fully-fledged agency.

Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, stated that the move aims to position Ghana within the global space economy and address fragmented space-related activities across various government institutions. The agency is intended to utilize satellite and geospatial technologies to support critical sectors, including agriculture, flood forecasting, climate adaptation, telecommunications, maritime surveillance, and national security.

By transforming the GSSTI, which currently operates under the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, the government seeks to provide decision-makers with stronger evidence through satellite data to manage environmental monitoring and disaster management more effectively.