Accra, Nov. 10, GNA - The Meteorological Service Department is to receive a 2-million dollar assistance to purchase equipment, which would help it to improve on its service delivery.

The money which is being provided by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) would also include technical assistance by the Danish Meteorological Institute, which will assist with consultants to provide professional advise to MSD.

It is expected that by the end of this year the MSD would have over 308 full operational weather stations of various categories spread throughout the country.

Mr Lars Phaham, Director General of the Danish Meteorological Institute, who is in the country, disclosed this during his visit to some of the project sites.

The collaboration between DMI and MSD would improve the manpower capacity of the latter, which would lead to the establishment and exchange of research programmes with special emphasis on seasonal forecasting.

The project would also help to improve the planning capacity of government agencies and institutions, agriculture, hydropower generation and other socio-economic areas of the country.

Mr Franklin Mote, Acting Director General of MSD, said DMI is assisting the Department in institutional strengthening and transforming it to an executive agency by engaging a local consultant to prepare strategic business plans to be presented to government.