By Rebecca Ekpe
The United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11—”to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and ustainable”—identifies sustainable urbanisation as one of the key priorities for global development.
The adoption of the New Urban Agenda in 2016 has engendered national and local governments around the world to embark on a transformative path towards making SDG 11 a story of the past.
Speaking at the 2024 Urban Forum in Accra, the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Korsah, said the Government is determined to achieve both regional and global commitments through various policies and programmes.
Government’s determination, he posits, is reflected in the mandatory and periodic global and national reports which show the significant progress being made in urban spaces.
This progress, he admits, has been fraught with increasing challenges.
‘’Traditional and emerging challenges such as pandemics, risk of extremism and climate change which have high potentials to undo the transformation and investment we have so far achieved.’’
This is why platforms such as the Urban Forum are relevant to provide impetus to the issues and proffer strategies that would address Ghana’s urbanisation conundrum.
The Local Government Minister is optimistic about outcomes.
‘’It is our belief that through the development and effective delivery of policies and programmes, and strong partnerships, we will contribute to improving the living conditions of Ghanaians.”
The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development is charged with the mandate to promote and ensure good governance and balanced development at the local level.
The Ministry is enjoined to champion through laid down strategies, actions and partnerships to improve the living conditions of about 56.7% urban dwellers.
Mr. Adjei-Korsah noted that sessions such as the Urban Forum are sustained to engender solutions to Urban challenges.
In response to urbanisation, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development Ghana has implemented the following flagship programmes and projects:
1. The Ghana Urban Management Pilot Programme; Page – 6 – of 9
2. The Local Government Capacity Support Programme and its
successor the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme;
3. The Ghana Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project;
4. The Greater Accra Resilient Development Project and
Participatory Slum Upgrading Project,
5. The Tamale Urban Resilient Project,
6. The Sustainable Cities Project – Phase 1.
