Ghana’s delegation led by Hon. Francis Asenso Boakye (MP), Minister for Works and Housing participated in the Second Session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat Assembly) which began on 5^th June and ended 9^th June, 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. The UNHA was held at the only UN Headquarters in Africa under the theme, “A sustainable urban future through inclusive and effective multilateralism: achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in times of global crises”.

Delivering Ghana’s Statement, Mr. Francis Asenso Boakye (MP), Minister for Works and Housing reiterated Ghana’s commitment to implementing and delivering on the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “especially, SDG 11, which seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable”, under H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He highlighted the progress Ghana has made in the housing sector; “it is important to highlight that although there have been some advancements in the housing sector, such as a decrease in the estimated housing deficit from approximately 2 million units to 1.8 million units, there remains a substantial disparity in addressing the housing requirements of the low-to-middle income demographic”.

Mr. Francis Asenso Boakye (MP) indicated the between urbanisation and economic development to the UN Member States, and particularly called on the African Group of Countries, to commit to regional economic integration. “Ghana, as the host country of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), is committed to its principles and recognises that sustainable urban development is strongly linked to regional economic integration”, he said.

UN-Habitat Assembly successfully approved several resolutions to advance sustainable development through territorial planning, urbanisation and climate action, effective monitoring and establishment of an equity fund to support Member States in the delivery of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the SDGs. The term of Office of Members of the Governing Structure of the UN-Habitat Assembly, that is, the Executive Board and the Bureau to the UN-Habitat Assembly were unanimously extended until 2025. This means Ghana as Vice President on the Bureau to the UN-Habitat Assembly, and represented by Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah (MP), Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) will continue hold the position until elections are held in 2025.

On the sidelines of the event, Ghana’s delegation held bilateral meetings with the new Deputy Executive Director of the UN-Habitat, Mr. Michal Mylnar. The engagement re-affirmed Ghana’s commitment to the UN-Habitat and its work across the globe and in Ghana in the areas of capacity building, support for policy formulation in the urban sector and in slum upgrading and prevention. The parties proposed to consider the organization of African Urban Forum in Ghana and commitment made to advance the implementation of the Ghana Smart SDG Cities Initiative in ten (10) Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to fast-track the implementation of the SDGs through a certification process and investment opportunities.

Ghana’s delegation comprised Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah (MP), Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development; H.E. Damptey Bediako Asare, Ghana’s High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to the UN-Habitat and UNEP; Mr. William Anani-Abotsi, Deputy Head of Mission in Kenya; Hon. Akosua Asabea Annoh, Municipal Chief Executive of Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly; Pln. Sylvanus Adzornu, Director for Rural Housing at the MWH; Pln. Samuel Seth Passah, Director for Local Governance and Decentralisation at the MLGDRD; Arc. Chris Pobee, Principal Architect (MWH); Mr. Collins Kabuga, Head of the UN-Desk at the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Other members of the delegation were, Pln. Eli Yao Kuadey, Principal Development Planning Officer at MLGDRD; Mr. George Ofori-Atta, Principal Economics Officer at MoF; Ms. Nana Ama Kankam and Mrs. Rena Asare Danso, First Secretaries at the Ghana High Commission in Kenya. [END]

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) led by the Minister of State, Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah, joined millions of Ghanaians across the country to contribute to planting 10 million trees to mark the Green Ghana Day on the 9^th of June, 2023.

Participating in the third edition of the commemorative event three years after its launch by the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo under the theme; Our Forests, Our Health, the Minister of State underscored the importance of the exercise to the socio-economic development of the nation and the sustainability of human existence and efforts.

Hon. Amoah emphasised that, “with all the development efforts governments across the globe are putting in place, if the environment and the green cover is depleted, no meaningful progress can be made”.

This he said is evident in the fast-paced ravaging impacts of climate change the earth is experiencing with the environmental challenges that threaten the human race.

At a ceremony held at the Nationalism Park in Accra to plant trees to mark the day, the Minister of State led the staff of the Ministry to plant trees and called on all Ghanaians to rise up to the occasion to plant more trees and nurture them to grow in support of the nation’s aggressive drive for afforestation and reforestation for sustainable environment and social development.

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr. Amin Abdul-Rahaman added his voice to the call to plant more trees to save the environment from the adverse impact of climate change.

Present at the ceremony was the Chief Executive of the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Hon. Nii Adjei Tawiah who also planted a tree and joined in the call to all Ghanaians to plant and nurture more trees for sustainable development.

Source: Public Relations Unit (MLGDRD)

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development hosted 17 Senior Officers out of a 30-man delegation from the India National Defence College.

The primary aim of their visit was to gain an all-encompassing overview of the socio-economic development. foreign policy, security, and strategic issues of Ghana in the context of changing perspectives of the current global environment.

The Team was met by the Director of the Local Governance Directorate who took them through local governance issues which included presentations on Political and Local Governance structure.