EORIC: A Story of Vision, Persistence, and Innovation in Ghana’s Earth Observation Journey
The story of the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC) at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Ghana is one born out of vision, persistence, and a passion for harnessing space-based technologies for national development. It is a testament to how individual initiative, institutional support, and strategic partnerships can converge to create a centre of excellence in Earth observation science in West Africa.
At the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) Conference in Kampala, Uganda, from 22 – 24th October 2009, a young academic, Mr. Amos T. Kabo-bah, then a Graduate student, encountered something that would change the course of his career and later reshape Earth observation in Ghana. He observed Dr. B.H.P. Maathuis, a remote sensing specialist from the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) in the Netherlands, installing a GEONETCast station at Makerere University. GEONETCast was a satellite-based data dissemination system providing real-time global environmental data.
The exposure was transformative. Mr. Kabo-bah immediately saw the potential of such a system for data-starved institutions in Africa. Upon returning to Ghana, he began drafting a proposal to establish a similar system in his country.
In January 2010, Mr. Kabo-bah took a bold step by submitting a proposal to the European Space Agency (ESA) to establish a GEONETCast station in Ghana. With great optimism, the proposal received approval in February, as ESA committed to providing a full kit, contingent upon identifying a hosting university. In collaboration with Mr. Frank Annor, initial discussions with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi were undertaken, although they did not yield the desired results at that time, leading to a temporary pause in this promising vision.
In the year 2012, a significant opportunity arose when Dr. Kabo-bah became a member of the newly inaugurated University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani. Eager to contribute to the university’s mission, he approached the founding Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mrs. Esi Awuah, with an innovative proposal for the GEONETCast system. Prof. Awuah enthusiastically welcomed the idea, recognising its potential to enhance the institution’s capabilities, and promptly offered her full institutional support.
With their collaborative efforts, the GEONETCast system was expertly installed at UENR by a talented young technician, Mr. Evans Yaw Akpene Adom. This remarkable achievement marked a significant milestone as it became the first of its kind implemented at any university in Ghana.
To further harness the capabilities of this ground-breaking technology, UENR organised a comprehensive two-day training workshop in September 2013, focusing on applying GEONETCast for environmental and natural resource monitoring. This event was elevated by the attendance of Dr. Maathuis, who visited Ghana to lead the training session. His expertise proved invaluable, benefiting 22 lecturers from both UENR and the Catholic University College. The workshop took place in the Council Chamber of the University from September 26th to 27th, 2013, where participants engaged deeply with the GEONETCast workstation, learning innovative techniques for managing energy and natural resources efficiently.
Encouraged by the early success, the station soon evolved into a full-fledged training hub, popularly called the GEONETCast Centre. It became a magnet for capacity-building in environmental data applications and an incubator for innovation in disaster management and remote sensing education.
One of the most significant developments during this period was the creation of a Fire and Disaster Management Curriculum—a bold, competency-based training program that sought to blend modern technology with local expertise. The project was inspired and initiated by Prof. Daniel Obeng-Ofori, then Vice-Chancellor of UENR, who envisioned an innovative and practically oriented program to build local capacity across three tiers—basic, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Designed to meet the needs of professionals in the fire and disaster sectors, the curriculum incorporated contributions from academia and technical and industrial practitioners and drew on global knowledge transfer approaches. Its ultimate goal was to enhance Ghana’s capacity in fire detection, prevention, suppression, and disaster management—with wider socio-economic benefits such as protecting industrial gains, safeguarding ecosystems, saving lives, and contributing to the sustainable growth of Ghana’s GDP.
The project attracted a strong coalition of local and international partners:
- Canadian Forest Service – led by Dr. David Nannang
- CSIR Meraka Institute of South Africa – led by Mr. Lee Annamalei
- Ghana National Fire Service – led by DCFO W. J. Mensah
- Resource Management Support Centre of the Forestry Commission – led by Mr. Richard Ninnoni
- CSIR – Forestry Research Institute of Ghana – led by Dr. K. O. Afriyie
The internal UENR team driving the project included:
- Prof. Daniel Obeng-Ofori – Project Visionary
- Dr. Amos T. Kabo-Bah – Project Leader
- Dr. Fred Owusu-Ansah, Dr. Samuel Fosu Gyasi, Dr. Nana Derkyi, Dr. Simon Abugre – Curriculum and Technical Experts
- Dr. Mrs. Mercy Derkyi – Project Assistant
- Mr. Albert BananAbdulai – Project Accountant
- Ms. Salome Mbrah Owusu – Project Administrator
This initiative marked a paradigm shift in fire and disaster education in Ghana—grounded in satellite-based decision-support systems, risk mapping, and simulation technologies.
From these foundations, EORIC launched additional ground-breaking projects, including the installation of a Carbon Monitoring Flux Tower (in partnership with CzechGlobe from the Czech Republic), the deployment of cutting-edge climate modelling tools, and the integration of the COSMIC-2 satellite ground station funded by NOAA and Taiwan’s National Space Organization—further establishing UENR as a critical hub for space-based environmental monitoring in West Africa.
By 2016, the evolving scope of work transcended the title of “GEONETCast Centre.” Under the visionary leadership of Prof. Daniel Obeng-Ofori, then Vice-Chancellor of UENR, the Centre was proudly renamed the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC) in March 2016. Dr Kabo-bah, a now Senior Lecturer, stepped in as the founding head of EORIC.
This rebranding exemplified the Centre as a dynamic research force at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR)-Sunyani, Ghana, charged with acquiring real-time and near real-time satellite-based data, airborne and in-situ data, metadata and products, and automatic weather monitoring. It embraced the operations and management of unmanned aerial systems, virtual regional fire monitoring and modelling, and organized training programs in Earth Observation (EO) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques—all aimed at empowering informed decisions in water, disasters, health, energy, climate, agriculture, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
EORIC aspires to become a leading Research Centre in Africa dedicated to promoting and disseminating value-added satellite and in-situ-based data and information. It seeks to transfer cutting-edge, affordable space science skills and technologies while enhancing innovations in theoretical and applied sciences to meet societal needs. The Centre’s mission is to promote, facilitate, and support the acquisition and application of geospatial technologies in interdisciplinary research and education across the vital areas of water, disasters, energy, climate, agriculture, ecosystems, weather, health, and biodiversity. Moreover, EORIC has gained international acclaim by hosting one of only two COSMIC-2 satellite ground stations in Africa and ten in the world. This was made possible through a program by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Taiwan’s National Space Organization (NSPO).
From a quiet idea sparked on foreign soil to a thriving centre of excellence in Sunyani, the story of EORIC reflects Ghana’s bold embrace of the space data revolution. But beyond the visible milestones and institutional achievements lies a deeper narrative—one shaped by the tireless efforts of many unsung heroes.
Technicians who worked late into the night, administrators who pushed paperwork through tight deadlines, research assistants who drafted proposals with little more than belief in the mission, and countless others who laboured behind the scenes—they are all part of the quiet foundation on which EORIC stands.
Their contributions may not always make headlines, but their dedication has left an indelible mark. Because of their perseverance, passion, and selfless commitment, the Centre continues to grow, innovate, and serve as a national and regional beacon.
Today, EORIC is more than a research facility—it is a living symbol of what can be achieved when vision is matched with grit and when people come together across disciplines, sectors, and borders for a shared purpose. As the Centre moves into the future, it does so on the shoulders of those who initially believed in its promise. Their quiet work will continue to echo in every breakthrough, every partnership, and every young mind inspired by the skies.