Parliament has approved an amount of ¢1.6 million tax waiver to procure equipment to monitor weather, earthquake movements in the country.

The approval of the waiver is in respect of the Ghana radio astronomy project and colocation of the satellite earth observation group receiving station at Kuntunse for Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI). 

The ¢1.6 million equivalent to (ZAR4, 907,555) South African Rand project is in accordance with Memorandum of Agreement signed between the governments of Ghana and South Africa for Science Cooperation in 2013.

Under the agreement the GSSTI of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) in collaboration with the Square Kilometer Array-South Africa will establish a facility to train students in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology and Space Science in the country.

Presenting the Finance Committee’s report, Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah said the project is expected to contribute significantly to the development of highly skilled human capital for sectors of the economy such as software, mechanical and structural engineering and various filed in science and technology.

“An integral part of the telescope facility is the global navigation satellite system reference receiver, a geodetic level antenna and seismic system to study the weather, earth quake and plate tectonics.

“Ghana’s position on the globe make the country closest to the equator and that is one of the reasons Ghana was chosen as a partner country,” Dr Assibey Yeboah told Parliament.