The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) on Thursday, 10th July 2025, held a validation session for its 2025 Second Quarter Budget Performance Report ahead of submission to the Ministry of Finance.

The session, which took place at the Ministry’s Conference Room, brought together technical staff from directorates, units, departments, agencies, and ongoing projects under the Ministry. The objective was to ensure a thorough review and harmonisation of inputs into the draft report in line with statutory reporting requirements.

In his remarks, Mr. Usama Samu, Director for Policy, Planning, Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPBME), expressed gratitude to all participants for their dedication and technical contributions. He noted that the collective effort and insights shared during the session were instrumental in producing a credible and well-prepared document on behalf of the Ministry.

“This process is more than an obligation. It is an opportunity to reflect on our performance, identify challenges, and improve planning and implementation for the quarters ahead,” Mr. Samu said.

Participants scrutinised the Ministry’s budget execution performance, highlighting key expenditure trends, programme outcomes, and alignment with development priorities. The validation session also served as a platform for addressing data gaps, reconciling figures, and ensuring consistency across all departmental submissions.

The validated report will now be finalised and submitted to the Ministry of Finance in fulfilment of the Public Financial Management Act’s reporting obligations.

The Ministry remains committed to transparency, accountability, and results-driven governance in line with its mandate to promote local governance, strengthen traditional institutions, and support religious harmony for national development.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann

 (Public Relations Unit- MLGCRA)

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim (MP), on Friday, 11th July 2025, inaugurated the newly constituted Governing Board of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) and the Council of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) at a ceremony held in the Ministry’s Conference Room in Accra.

The inauguration brought together high-level dignitaries including the Deputy Minister, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP); Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr. Amin Abdul-Rahaman; Director of ILGS, Prof. Nicholas Awortwi; CEO of LUSPA, Dr. Kwadwo Yeboah; and former Council Chairperson, Emeritus Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, among others.

In his keynote address, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim congratulated the newly appointed Chairmen Dr. William Kofi Ahadzie for ILGS and Pln. Jonathan Azaaso for LUSPA—along with all board members for the confidence reposed in them by the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.

Describing the appointments as a significant call to duty, the Minister emphasized the importance of both institutions in Ghana’s decentralisation and development architecture. He lauded ILGS for its strategic role in training public officials within Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and in shaping policy through research since its establishment.

“As government rolls out the Resetting Ghana Agenda, capacity building for MMDCEs, Assembly Members, and staff of MMDAs has become more critical than ever. The Ministry is actively pursuing efforts to upgrade ILGS into a specialised university focused on professional and higher education for local governance while maintaining its core training mandate,” the Minister stated.

Turning to LUSPA, Hon. Ibrahim noted the Authority’s crucial role in guiding sustainable land use and spatial planning across the country. He urged the new Board to ensure full implementation of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), especially at the local government level.

He announced the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the full operationalisation of District Spatial Planning Committees and their Technical Sub-Committees, as provided under Sections 37 to 39 of the Act. He also pledged to issue directives under Section 47 for all MMDAs to establish permanent, publicly accessible Physical Data Rooms to promote transparency in development control.

“The status quo must change. In the Resetting Ghana Agenda, we cannot continue doing the same things and expect different results. I urge you to be bold, innovative, and results-oriented in your leadership,” he charged the governing members.

Hon. Ibrahim also paid tribute to the outgoing Board and Council members for their meritorious service and expressed hope that the new leadership would build on the solid foundation laid by their predecessors.

The ceremony concluded with the formal declaration of the new Governing Board of LUSPA and the Governing Council of ILGS as duly inaugurated.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann & Stephanie Edem Klutsey

Public Relations Unit, MLGCRA

Stakeholders in Ghana’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector have reaffirmed their commitment to deeper coordination and joint action during a stakeholder engagement meeting held on July 3^rd, 2025 at the Airport View Hotel in Accra.

Organized under the Government of Ghana–UNICEF WASH Programme, the high-level meeting brought together key representatives from government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, and local government institutions to strengthen collaboration for more inclusive and sustainable sanitation delivery.

The meeting, convened by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA), is the first of its kind following the recent transfer of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate (EHSD) from the now-defunct Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to the Ministry, through Executive Instrument (EI) 1 of 2025.

In a speech delivered on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr. Amin Abdul-Rahaman, stakeholders were urged to view the transition as a timely opportunity to improve sector alignment and bring WASH interventions closer to communities.

    “This transition should rather allow us to better align sanitation programming within decentralised service delivery structures and the traditional governance systems. It would eventually help bring our interventions closer to the people, grounded in local realities and responsive to on-the-ground needs,” the statement noted.

Participants were reminded of the Ministry’s continued commitment to national strategies, such as the Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy, aimed at improving rural access to safely managed sanitation services.

The Chief Director, through his speech, acknowledged the long-standing partnership with UNICEF and the significant progress made under the GoG–UNICEF WASH Programme. Key gains were cited in the areas of behaviour change communication, market-based sanitation, technology development, regulatory improvements, and financing models.

However, the Ministry also noted persistent challenges, especially in ensuring the sustainability of household toilets in rural areas. It emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the supply side of rural sanitation—addressing bottlenecks such as limited access to affordable materials, skilled labour, and resilient technologies.

Another pressing concern raised was the increasing threat posed by climate change to WASH infrastructure and public health.

    “Climate change is no longer a future concern; it is a present and escalating challenge. Toilets are being washed away, water sources are diminishing, and public health risks are intensifying,” the Ministry cautioned, calling for climate-proofed WASH systems and integrated adaptation strategies.

During the meeting, a draft WASH coordination framework was presented by the Ministry for stakeholder review. The framework outlines roles and responsibilities of thematic leads, focal persons, and collaborating institutions, and aims to strengthen coherence, accountability, and results delivery across the sector.

In closing, the Ministry challenged all stakeholders to move beyond silos and renew their commitment to a common goal.

    “Achieving open defecation-free status and ensuring safely managed sanitation services for all Ghanaians will require more than technical solutions. It demands strong partnerships, shared accountability, and an unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion,” the Chief Director’s message stressed.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann & Stephanie Edem Klutsey

 (Public Relations Unit- MLGCRA)