Africa Surveyors January-February issue 2023 digital

GEOLOGY
Geological Survey Authority
requires $200m investment to
transmit real-time seismic data on
The Ghana Geolog ical Survey Authority
(GGSA) requires a US$200 million
invest ment to establish a national
seismic network for enhanced earthquake
monitoring.
According to Isaac Kuuwan Mwimbelle, Acting
Director-Gen eral of GGSA, the network would
enable the provision of real-time seismic data
to ensure the safety of the citizenry.
Speaking at a workshop in Ac cra, he said the
network would allow the Authority to transmit
real-time information on earthquake and
other happenings to inform the development
of earthquake-resilient structures.
observatory network, make it fully functional
and resource it to be able to transmit realtime
data.
In the meantime, the Direc tor-General said
the GGSA had intensified discussions with
man agers of high-rise buildings and other
state agencies including the Bank of Ghana
(BoG) and Elec tricity Company of Ghana
(ECG) to sensitise them to earthquake safety
response.
He said the Authority was formulating
legislations to enforce adherence to safety
“
The absence of
seismic network
is a challenge to
the operations
of GGSA in terms
of monitoring
earthquake.
mechanisms in the development of buildings
in the country.
The Director-General rejected claims about
the lack of earth quake prediction by the GGSA
saying that “earthquakes cannot be predicted
but rather we fore cast by looking at current
happen ings to keep citizens on alert so that
the impact will be minimal.”
He said the GGSA currently de pends on data
from the Weija and Achimota observatory
stations as well as other stations dotted
across the country.
He noted that, assessment of earthquake
was carried-out manu ally by field officers for
data which was then transmitted through
a satellite, which Mr Mwimbelle said, was
not effective and brings about de lay in data
transmission, hence the need to switch to a
SIM modem platform for effective transmission.
“The absence of seismic network is a
challenge to the operations of GGSA in terms
of monitoring earthquake.
What we do now is go to the field to gather
data before we are able to respond to queries
on earthquake. That means we delay in
communicating information that borders on
the safety of citizens. We need an investment
in the network to enable the GGSA transmit
real-time data on earth quake,” he added.
Mr Mwimbelle said the network would
enable the authority to disseminate safety
information to the public through their
personal devices.
He stated that, the authority had engaged the
government on the need to set up the seismic
Map of Ghana showing the study area. Source: Ghana Geological Survey Department.
14 January-February issue l 2023 www.africasurveyorsonline.com