The Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) has held a day’s capacity-building workshop about the mandate and activities of the Authority for some selected media practitioners in the Northern sector.
Director-General of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, Mr. Isaac Kuuwan Mwinbelle, provided detailed presentation that captured the history of the GGSA, its mandate, activities and policies that will enable it to execute its mandate effectively.
Mr Mwinbelle shed light on the role the media plays in providing accurate information about earthquake and seismic activities in the country. He explained that the GGSA is looking to partner media houses across the country to sensitize Ghanaians on the safety measures to deploy in the wake of earthquakes.
Whiles assuring journalists on the openness of the GGSA in collaborating with them, today, August 31, 2023, Mr Mwinbelle charged the media to leverage on the relationship and help bridge the gap between the GGSA and the public.
“The mandate of the authority has been amongst others to conduct geological investigation, conduct seismic monitoring for the country and to advice government on issues of geo-science as well as being the national repository of all geological information. We find it necessary to come to the Northern Sector to use the media in the region to help educate the public on the mandate of the GGSA and get them to know exactly what we are doing in terms of national development.”
Isaac Kuuwan Mwinbelle
Journalists educated on earthquake disaster response reportage
On his part, the Head of Seismology Unit of the GGSA, Mr. Nicholas Opoku, equipped journalists with knowledge in earthquake disaster response. He enacted a perfect demonstration of steps that one must take in the event of earthquakes and other natural disasters that fall within the jurisdiction of the GGSA.
Subsequently, journalists acknowledged the efforts of the GGSA in seeking to form an alliance that will help spread the information about seismic occurrences in the country. Additionally, they promised to play their part by providing education to the public about earthquakes and the safety measures they can resort to in the event of earthquakes.
The GGSA has held its sensitization program for over forty journalists in the Northern Sector to educate them on the earthquake and other seismic activities.
Earlier this year, the GGSA held a workshop for selected media houses in Accra. Recogninzing the crucial role the media plays in sharing information about activities of the Authority, Philip Oduro Amoako, Board Chairman of the GGSA, stated that the engagement was to improve the relationship between the GGSA and the media and also, to enable the media shape its narrative and reportage about activities relative to the authority.
He cited instances where there was some discord in reports by the media and emphasized that it is on the back of such issues that the GGSA has initiated moves to bridge the gap between it and the media.
Mr Mwinbelle, on the other hand, provided historical context which outlined the purpose and objective of the establishment of the GGSA. He downplayed suggestions that the GGSA exists to undertake surveying activities in the mining sector alone clarifying that the function of the GGSA encompasses providing advice to the government on all matters spelt out under Act 928.
Moreover, he noted that for the GGSA to be effective with its work, needs the collaboration of the media and relevant stakeholders to shape public opinion about its works. He equally intimated that no mining activity can take place without geological information and data from the GGSA, hence, information and data from GGSA is critical for national development.
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