In an effort to strengthen community engagement and awareness, Mr. Daniel Botwe, the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development (MLGDRD), recently spearheaded a press soiree in Tamale. The focus of the event was the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project, a pivotal initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and resilience in border-zone communities exposed to conflicts and climate risks.

Minister Botwe addressed a diverse audience, comprising journalists, producers, and program show hosts, urging them to allocate dedicated time on their media outlets for in-depth discussions on the SOCO Project. His message underscored the significance of media involvement in shaping public perceptions and ensuring citizens are well-informed about the project's objectives.

The SOCO Project stands as a beacon for improving regional collaboration and enhancing socio-economic and climate resilience in the targeted northern regions of Gulf of Guinea countries. Minister Botwe expressed his belief that media engagement would play a crucial role in garnering support from citizens in these regions.

During the interaction session, journalists seized the opportunity to pose questions, seeking clarity on various aspects of the project. Minister Botwe welcomed the inquiries, emphasizing the importance of disseminating accurate information to the public, especially within the beneficiary communities.

The press soiree marked a milestone in fostering transparent communication between the state and the media, ensuring a clear understanding of the SOCO Project's objectives and its broader impact. As media houses in Tamale commit to focusing on discussions related to the project, the state anticipates a heightened level of citizen awareness and support.

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Institute of Local Government Studies, recently organized a three-day capacity-building training for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). The primary focus was to enhance their leadership and managerial skills.

The training, held in Tamale, brought together MMDCEs from the Northern, Upper West, North East, Savannah, and Oti Regions. The strategic location facilitated the participation of key leaders from diverse regions, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and experiences.

During the training, Mr. Daniel Botwe, the Minister for Local Government, shared insights on the significance of the program. He highlighted its purpose, aiming to equip MMDCEs with the necessary tools for exhibiting quality leadership within their respective offices.

Minister Botwe expressed optimism that the training would not only enhance leadership capabilities but also bolster the commitment of MMDCEs to deliver as expected. He commended the facilitators for their expertise and urged participants to actively engage with the presentations.

The MMDCEs conveyed gratitude to the Ministry for organizing the training, emphasizing its potential to significantly enhance their skills. They assured the Minister that the knowledge gained would go a long way in improving their capacity to discharge their duties effectively.

The collaborative effort between the Ministry of Local Government and the Institute of Local Government Studies has proven to be a commendable step towards empowering local leaders. The engagement of MMDCEs from various regions reflects a commitment to strengthening governance at the grassroots level. The success of this training sets a positive precedent for future capacity-building initiatives.

Vice President, Dr.  Mahamudu Bawumia has broken grounds for the commencement of infrastructural works on a 150 million US Dollars investment Project for 48 districts in six regions under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project.

The project comes as a proactive response to the surging spillover of fragility, conflict, and violence from the Sahel to the northern border regions with the objective to improve regional collaboration and the socioeconomic and climate change resilience of border zone communities in the target northern regions of the Gulf of Guinea countries exposed to conflict and climate risks.

The project interventions will contribute to the prevention of the spread of conflict from the Sahel region, reduce vulnerability to climate change, strengthen local institutions, improve economic opportunities, build public trust, and strengthen regional dialogue across the Gulf of Guinea countries (Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Togo)

In brief remarks at the ceremony held at Yendi on Wednesday, 25^th October 2023, Dr. Bawumia reiterated governments commitment to safeguarding an improved welfare of all persons in the country and more importantly people living within communities that are likely to be exposed to fragilities that threatens their sustainable socioeconomic growth and development.

“The SOCO project is a timely investment from the Government of Ghana (GoG), and it is expected to deliver socio-economic community-level climate-resilient infrastructure, skills development and training of the youth and women including the vulnerable” he stressed.

 These projects, Dr. Bawumia noted, included provision of water, construction of school buildings, health facilities, construction of markets, earth dams and other critical physical infrastructure and has currently created jobs for 434 Community Facilitators (CFs) and other Specialists.

He added that the project would also improve access to basic social and economic services, promote local economic development, gender equality, and improve environmental management when the projects are executed efficiently and effectively.

“I am extremely excited to be part of this historic and symbolic sod cutting of 15 physical projects within the Yendi Municipality to pave way for the construction of all the 582 projects under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project to enhance the resilience of our cities, communities and the country at large for sustainable development” he stated.

Dr. Bawumia emphasized that funding for the project is available and has been disbursed for the execution of all the subprojects and therefore contractors will not be inhibited with resources for project execution; citing Yendi Municipal Assembly to have received its allocation to commence work. He therefore cautioned all implementing agencies, both at the national and sub-national levels, that implementation delays will not be tolerated.

The Hon. Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) Mr. Daniel Botwe remarked that the SOCO project employs is a community driven approach that safeguards its sustainability and impact and provides a game changing avenue for communities to be resilient .

Thanking Government for the project and what it will deliver to the Yendi Municipality and the northern region at large, His Majesty Ndan Ya Naa Abukari Mahama II, the Overlord of Dagbon traditional area expressed delight and commended government highly for providing proactive leadership and designing a life transforming project in the country’s development efforts.