To plan and validate a Programme-Based Budget (PBB) Estimates Document from 2025 to 2028, and ensure it aligns with national priorities stipulated by the Ministry of Finance, staff of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development have undergone a PBB training in Accra.

The training was represented by staff members from Departments and Agencies under the Ministry. These include the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), Department of Community Development (DoCD), the Department of Parks and Gardens (DPG) and the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA).

During the session, the trainees presented reports on their Institutions programme areas and their projections and projects were also discussed, analysed, refined and harmonised, thereby ensuring that the programmes of activities are comprehensive and reflect the Ministry’s strategic objectives to advance local governance, decentralisation, and sustainable development across the country.

Speaking to open the training, the Director of the Budget Unit at the Ministry, Madam Freda Faah, was hopeful that the training would secure the necessary financial resources to implement the Ministry’s initiatives for the 2025–2028 time period for a more collaborative effort to foster transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the public sector management.

Source: Matilda Tettey & Melody Hini-Amoako

(MLGDRD Public Relations Unit)

The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the lives of Ghanaians through strategic infrastructure development.

He made this known during the commissioning of a newly constructed 188-unit lockable market at Agormanya in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, Eastern Region, on Monday, November 25, 2024.

The project, executed under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program (GSCSP) forms part of the government’s broader agenda to enhance urban infrastructure and economic activities in municipalities. Speaking at the event, Hon. Korsah emphasized the transformative impact the market will have on local commerce and community life.

“This market will not only provide a conducive environment for trading activities but also serve as a significant boost to the local economy. It underscores the government’s dedication to ensuring that citizens can carry out their economic activities in improved, dignified conditions,” he stated.

Hon. Korsah highlighted the government's investment of $245 million in the GSCSP since 2019, aimed at addressing urban challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and improving service delivery in 35 municipal assemblies across Ghana. In addition to markets, the program supports the development of roads, stormwater drains, transport terminals, sanitation equipment, and pedestrian walkways.

He charged the Municipal Chief Executive and Assembly to maintain the facility and ensure its long-term sustainability, cautioning that the Ministry would not tolerate negligence in this regard.

The Agormanya Market, with its modern infrastructure, is expected to significantly enhance trading activities within Odumase-Krobo and its environs. The Minister also acknowledged the contributions of traditional authorities and local stakeholders in the project’s successful execution.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Lower Manya Krobo, Simeon Kwaku Tetteh, expressed optimism about the positive economic impact the market would have on the community. He urged residents to support government initiatives, noting that such development projects are evidence of the prudent use of public funds.

Other notable projects in the municipality under the GSCSP include road upgrades, stormwater drainage systems, and the Business Resource Center, which has enhanced entrepreneurship and contributed to increased revenue generation.

Hon. Korsah further commended the World Bank for its decades-long partnership with Ghana in urban development. He also mentioned the government’s District Road Improvement Program (DRIP) as another critical initiative aimed at improving road infrastructure across all 261 districts.

The Minister concluded by expressing gratitude to the President, contractors, consultants, and all stakeholders for their efforts in delivering these projects, which he described as pivotal to the government's agenda of improving living standards in Ghana’s municipalities.

Ghana took the global spotlight at the Twelfth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) in Cairo, where Honourable Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ghana’s Minister for Works and Housing, delivered an address on November 5, 2024. In his statement, he highlighted Ghana's progressive approach to urban development, anchored by a series of innovative initiatives that underscore local action in the country’s development agenda.

Honourable Nkrumah pointed to the Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme as a flagship initiative within this framework. Funded by UN-Habitat, the program seeks to bolster the implementation of Agenda 2030 by focusing on data collection and analysis, while offering incentives for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) certification at the local level. “This program ensures that our urban centers are not just places of economic activity but hubs of sustainable growth,” Nkrumah stated, underscoring the program’s vision for resilient, data-driven urban planning.

The minister further cited several other ongoing projects that align with Ghana’s urban development goals. Notable among these are the Greater Accra Resilience and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, the European Union Sustainable Cities Project, the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program (GSCSP), and the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project. Each of these projects, he noted, plays a critical role in transforming Ghana’s urban landscapes into sustainable, resilient, and economically inclusive environments.

In a major announcement, Nkrumah revealed the recent launch of a Districts Housing Program, an ambitious initiative aimed at investing in green housing and accompanying infrastructure in Ghana's rural districts. The program seeks to curb the ongoing trend of rural-to-urban migration by improving living conditions and economic opportunities in rural areas. “This initiative is designed to meet the housing needs of our districts while supporting the national agenda for green development,” he added, emphasizing the program’s potential to alleviate urban pressures by nurturing sustainable communities across the country.

In a related event on November 6, Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, Ghana’s Head of Civil Service, inaugurated Ghana’s side event with the theme: Pursuing the Urban Agenda: The Successes and Challenges. Dr. Aggrey-Darkoh outlined Ghana’s strategic efforts to create inclusive, sustainable cities while tackling the multifaceted challenges brought about by rapid urbanization. He acknowledged that Ghana’s urban agenda is a collaborative journey that requires robust partnerships, local governance enhancement, and innovative solutions to ensure inclusive growth.

“Ghana recognizes that achieving our vision for urban areas is a shared responsibility,” Aggrey-Darkoh remarked, emphasizing the need to address systemic inequalities, enhance infrastructure, and build resilient institutions. He highlighted that Ghana’s urban future depends on collective actions that strengthen communities, drive economic growth, and ensure that no one is left behind.

SOURCE: Darling Maame Efua Cann

(Public Relations Unit MLGDRD)