Ghana’s NCA Begins Work on First National Emergency Telecommunications Plan with UN Support
The initiative, supported by the United Nations through the World Food Programme (WFP), seeks to integrate early warning systems into the national emergency strategy and ensure timely, reliable communication before, during, and after disasters.
The National Communications Authority (NCA ) has commenced a series of high-level engagements aimed at developing Ghana’s first National Emergency Telecommunications Plan, a move designed to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response to natural disasters.
The engagements, which started on 11th August 2025 at the NCA Tower in Accra, bring together key stakeholders from Ministries, Sector Agencies, Mobile Network Operators, and the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications. The initiative, supported by the United Nations through the World Food Programme (WFP), seeks to integrate early warning systems into the national emergency strategy and ensure timely, reliable communication before, during, and after disasters.
In his opening remarks, the Director General of the NCA, Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, expressed concern over the country’s limited prioritisation of emergency preparedness, stressing the urgent need for coordinated action.
“It is sad that we do not take our emergencies seriously. It is therefore imperative that prompt communication in response to changing weather conditions and other natural hazards be viewed as critical, as has been seen in recent times. The NCA pledges its full support to ensure that our communications infrastructure is ready during emergencies.”
-Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, Director General, NCA
He further disclosed plans for the NCA to establish an amateur radio station and other mechanisms to ensure effective communication during seismological and other disaster-related events.
“We must find alternatives for communication when there is a disaster.”
–Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, Director General, NCA
In Ghana, this roadmap will be based on a comprehensive assessment and will be structured around four key pillars:
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Disaster Preparedness
- Response and Relief
- Communication Systems
The NCA’s role will focus on strengthening the communications infrastructure required to deliver timely warnings, ensuring that critical information reaches the public and relevant agencies without delay.
The programme is being championed by the United Nations (UN ) through the World Food Programme (WFP ), and aims at enabling a timely and effective response before, during and after natural disasters.
