The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) has commenced a two-day training workshop for key staff to prepare the Ministry’s 2026–2029 Programme-Based Budget (PBB).

Participants were drawn from the Ministry’s departments, allied agencies, and projects, with the objective of developing a comprehensive budget document that aligns with the Ministry’s mandate and core values.

Welcoming participants on behalf of the Chief Director, Alhaji Amin Abdul-Rahaman, the Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management, Mr. Divine Ayejoh, expressed optimism that the workshop would reflect the Ministry’s commitment to integrating gender perspectives and fostering inclusivity in the 2026 budget.

He emphasized the importance of collaboration among directorates, departments, and agencies in producing a budget that truly reflects the Ministry’s programmes and activities. Mr. Ayejoh further urged participants to be guided by the provisions of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) throughout the exercise.

For his part, the Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Usama Iddrisu Samu, underscored that the programme-based budget must align with the Sector Medium-Term Development Plan (SMTDP) 2026–2029, ensuring that gender-responsive and inclusive principles are not overlooked. He encouraged participants to apply their expertise to strengthen the Ministry’s financial planning and policy implementation. Mr. Samu also commended Strengthening Investment Gender Responsive Climate Adaption (SIGRA) for its continuous partnership and support towards promoting gender responsiveness within the Ministry.

The Director of Budget, Mrs. Freda Ekua Faah, explained that the workshop also aims to validate the Ministry’s 2025 Programme-Based Budget with a strong focus on gender responsiveness and inclusiveness. She stressed that the initiative seeks to mainstream gender principles across all programmes and sub-programmes to ensure equitable financial allocations that address the diverse needs of men, women, boys, and girls.

Mrs. Faah urged participants to engage actively and contribute meaningfully to the process to produce a credible and results-oriented document that reflects the Ministry’s mandate.

Source: Chantal Aidoo

Public Relations Unit, MLGCRA

Ghana is stepping up efforts to strengthen collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in advancing sustainable urban development and addressing the challenges of rapid urbanisation.

This follows a bilateral meeting between the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) and UN-Habitat held on Thursday, 30th October 2025, at the Ministry’s Executive Conference Room in Accra.

The meeting focused on strengthening ongoing and future partnerships to promote inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities in line with Sustainable Development Goal 11 and the New Urban Agenda.

Speaking during the meeting, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim (MP), commended UN-Habitat for its consistent technical and policy support to Ghana’s urban development agenda.

“It is always a pleasure to welcome our development partners to engagements that advance Ghana’s journey toward sustainable urban development,” he said. “Urban development is not a one-time event but an ongoing process.”

The Minister highlighted major collaborative initiatives, including the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy (NSUPS), first developed in 2013 and currently being reviewed with support from UN-Habitat. He noted that the revised strategy is in its final stage and will be launched during World Cities Day.

He also mentioned progress on the National Urban Policy and Implementation Plan, which aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda. The revised policy, he said, will soon be presented to Cabinet for approval.

Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim further highlighted the Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme, jointly implemented with UN-Habitat and funded by the Government of Norway, which is supporting ten cities through data-driven and impact-oriented approaches to localise the SDGs.

He added that, with support from the World Bank, the Ministry has developed a Sustainable Cities Strategy (SCS) to complement the revised National Urban Policy. The strategy provides targeted actions to address challenges related to housing, waste management, mobility, spatial planning and governance.

The Minister appealed for UN-Habitat’s continued technical and financial support to implement the Sustainable Cities Strategy and finalise both the National Urban Policy (2025–2034) and the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy (NSUPS).

He also called for support in disseminating and operationalising the Local Economic Development Policy (2024–2029) launched last year, as well as in developing the Ministry’s Sector Medium-Term Development Plan (2026–2029) to guide its programmes over the next four years.

In her remarks, Ms. Abena Ntori, UN-Habitat Country Manager for Ghana, commended the Ministry for its leadership and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s sustainable urbanisation efforts. She said UN-Habitat remains open to deeper collaboration in implementing impactful and inclusive development projects.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann
MLGCRA Public Relations Unit.

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) on Monday, 20th October 2025, held a high-level meeting to prepare a detailed document for submission to the Presidency.

This follows a directive from the Office of the President calling on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to assess the impact and progress of ongoing bilateral and multilateral projects under their supervision. The assessment also seeks to identify challenges, determine areas that may require review, and explore potential collaborations to enhance project delivery.

The Ministry’s report, which is expected to be data-driven, will provide a clear picture of the achievements and outcomes of various projects being implemented under the MLGCRA. The Ministry is scheduled to make its presentation to President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, 24th October 2025.

The Technical Team lead and the Director in charge of  Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME), Mr. Usama Iddrisu Samu, noted that the Ministry has eight development partners and fourteen bilateral and multilateral projects and programmes with each having its own focus aimed at enhancing national security and promoting sustainable development.

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim commended the Chief Director, Alhaji Amin Abdul- Rahaman, the technical team working on the document, as well as all Directors, Staff, and Project Coordinators for their swift response and commitment to the assignment.

He lauded their collective effort in putting together a comprehensive and detailed presentation aimed at helping the President gain a deeper understanding of the Ministry’s ongoing projects and how they are contributing to effective local governance and development at the grassroots level.

According to the Minister, all Directors and Project Coordinators should remain committed to ensuring that all projects under their purview align with the national development agenda and deliver tangible benefits to local communities across the country.

Source: Chantal Aidoo

Public Relations Unit, MLGCRA