The Honuorable Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Daniel Botwe has said of strengthening of the capacity of local actors is key to the deepening of the decentralisation process, and Ghana welcomes external cooperation to this effect.
He noted that Ghana is benefiting from World Bank support for the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project (SOCO) aimed at integrating and finding a holistic response to fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) and also addressing climate-related challenges faced by four countries in the Sahel region.
He said under the support, Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Benin are benefiting from an amount of $450 million from the World Bank to prevent the spread of FVC in their countries.
These came up when the Ambassador for the US, H. E. madam Virginia E. Sulivan called on Hon. Daniel Botwe at his office in Accra on the 6th of September 2022.
Under the SOCO project in Ghana, 48 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies located in the Oti, Northern, Savannah, Upper west, Upper East and North East Regions were supported with an amount of $150million from the World Bank.
The objective of the project was to improve regional collaboration as well as the socio-economic and climate resilience of border communities in the targeted northern regions of the Gulf of Guinea countries exposed to conflict and climate risks.
The project is structured on five components; community resilience and inclusion, strengthening foundations and capacities for the vulnerable, regional coordination platform and dialogue, project management, and contingent emergency response component.
On her part, H. E. Virginia E. Palmer said her country also has funding for strategy of prevention of violence and promotion of stability thus, the need to collaborate with Ghana.
She noted that Ghana was far ahead of its neighbours in the sahel region in terms of peace and stability and the US has earmarked some funds to support security cooperation and inclusive development in the sub-region.
- E. Sulivan was accompanied by the Head of Policy and Research, US Embassy, Christopher Cunning and Ms. Kimberly Rossen, from USAID.
Source: PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)