Ghana is advancing plans to establish a fully fledged Ghana Space Agency as the government seeks to strengthen coordination of the country’s space activities and expand its participation in the global space economy.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, said Cabinet had approved the proposed agency, with work underway on the legislation and institutional framework required to transform the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) into a national agency.
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The initiative forms part of the minister’s First 100 Days Public Engagement Agenda, which aims to move Ghana’s space science and technology plans from policy commitments towards implementation. The proposed agency is expected to coordinate national space programmes, promote research and innovation, support public-private partnerships and strengthen international cooperation.
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The agency is also expected to help expand the use of satellite and geospatial technology in areas such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, telecommunications, mining, logistics and disaster management. These applications can help institutions access information for planning, resource management and emergency response.
Officials at the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute have highlighted the need for a central institution because space-related activities and satellite-data requirements are currently spread across different government bodies. Better coordination could help reduce duplication and improve access to relevant satellite imagery and data.
Ghana’s plans include strengthening research capacity, developing technical expertise and encouraging more young people to pursue careers in aerospace engineering, satellite technology, remote sensing, geospatial science, robotics and data science. International partnerships and private-sector participation are also expected to play a role in developing the country’s capabilities.
The establishment of the agency is not yet complete. The necessary legal and institutional arrangements must progress before the proposed body can operate with its full mandate. The government says the wider objective is to make space science and technology more useful to national development while supporting the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space.
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