By Edward Dankwah
Accra, June 4, GNA – Mr Martin Adjei Mensah-Korsah, the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), has urged stakeholders to take ownership of policies focused on urban development to effect the needed change and transform urban areas.
He said the challenges associated with Ghana’s urbanisation had evolved from congestion to environmental degradation, depletion of ecologically sensitive areas, and inadequate efficient public and transport services, hence, the need to effect change in that regard.
The Minister was speaking at the 2024 Ghana Urban Forum (GUF) held in Accra on the theme: “Nurturing Roots, Growing Futures: Combining Policies and Partnerships for Urban Resilience and Transformation.”
The Forum since 2009 has served as a collaborative platform for various stakeholders within the urban space to share knowledge and experiences as well as deliberate on important urban development issues while proffering solutions that aligned with national and international frameworks.
Mr Mensah-Korsah said the idea of inclusive development transcended policy dialogues, sustained advocacy, and capacity development efforts, alongside cooperation and effective coordination among various stakeholders.
He said it also focused on ensuring that dialogues, policies and programmes had been implemented as local actions to achieve the desired developmental changes, especially at the community level.
The Minister said the MLGDRD was charged with the mandate to promote and ensure good governance and balanced development at the local level, enjoining the Ministry to champion through laid down strategies, actions and partnerships to improve the living conditions of about 56.7 per cent of urban dwellers.
He said the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 identified 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 SDG11 a story of the past,” he added.
He said the government was determined to achieve these regional and global commitments through various policies and programmes.
Mr Mensah-Korsah said the government’s determination was reflected in the mandatory and periodic global and national reports which showed the significant progress being made in urban spaces.
He said, however, we continued to face increasing traditional and emerging challenges such as pandemics, risk of extremism and climate change, which had a high potential to undo the transformation and investment achieved so far.
“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,” he added.
Mr Charles Abani, United Nations Resident Coordinator, said there was the need for inclusive economic transformation, equitable access to basic services, and resilient peace in Ghana and the importance of collaborative partnership for sustainable urban development.
He said there was a need for digital transformation, sustainable finance, and resilient coastal areas and a need for sustainable solutions to address the complex challenges facing Ghana’s development.
Mr Abani urged the Ministry to focus on leaving no one behind, as often in urban areas as wealth and prosperity continued, there was a whole raft of communities of men, women, children, persons with disability, and others who were left behind, hence hindering urban development.
GNA