The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has established a permanent air quality monitoring network in Tema to strengthen pollution tracking and provide real-time data for informed decision-making.
The initiative is expected to improve Ghana’s ability to manage air pollution in one of its most industrialised cities.
Seven low-cost sensors have already been installed across key locations, including Kpone, Bethlehem (Tulaku), Communities 3, 7, and 25, Tema Manhean, and the Tema Port. A reference-grade monitor is also expected to be deployed by the end of 2025 to complement the
Selina Okaebea Amoah, Head of EPA’s Environmental Quality Unit, said that air pollution is now a major environmental health threat in Ghana, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. She said the monitoring network would help measure the actual levels of pollution in Tema and evaluate the effectiveness of existing interventions.
“These sensors will allow us to understand pollution patterns across the Tema Metropolis, Tema West, and Kpone-Katamanso municipalities, they are placed in locations exposed to high pollution sources, such as industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, open burning, and untarred roads,” Amoah explained.
She said data gathered from the monitoring equipment would also support the implementation and review of the Greater Accra Region Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP), a framework developed by EPA and other stakeholders to tackle pollution from key sources.
“This network will allow us to track whether interventions under the AQMP are yielding the expected results, we want to ensure that actions taken to reduce pollution are data-driven and targeted,” Amoah noted.
The monitoring system in Tema also responds to previous findings from existing EPA stations, which recorded pollution levels exceeding Ghana’s air quality standards. Amoah stressed that expanding the network beyond Accra is part of EPA’s long-term strategy.
“While we’ve started with seven low-cost sensors, this is far from sufficient. Ideally, a monitor should cover every four-kilometre radius. More sensors are urgently needed given the size of Tema’s industrial zones and nearby communities,” she said.
She added that the public could access real-time air quality data via OpenAQ.org. EPA also plans to work with local assemblies and communities to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution and the importance of clean air.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes an estimated 28,000 premature deaths in Ghana each year. It is the country’s second leading health risk factor after malnutrition, with young children and older adults being the most vulnerable.
Common contributors to Ghana’s poor air quality include waste burning, charcoal and firewood use for cooking, vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and slash-and-burn agriculture.
