2020 Ghana Urban Forum opens in Accra

The 2020 Ghana Urban Forum to dialogue on how to improve urban development and build resilient and sustainable cities has opened in Accra.

It is being organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, in partnership with the United Nations (UN), and attended by key stakeholders in urban development.

The two-day event is being held on the theme: “Unlocking the systems of planning: Connecting and financing for secondary and intermediate cities to propel growth towards the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda”.

At the end of the meeting, participants are expected to produce ideas and ways of enhancing national efforts at dealing with the challenges of urbanisation, while harnessing solutions tendered for sustainable development.

The Ghana Urban Forum is an annual event and the 2020 edition is the ninth in the series.

Participants in the forum include policy makers, representatives from civil society organisations, development partners, engineers, academics, planners and private and public sector players.

Opening

Addressing the opening session in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, said while the country was becoming urbanised at a very fast pace — with more than 50 per cent of its population living in urban areas — the phenomenon obviously posed major challenges, as well as provided opportunities, with regard to development.

Urbanisation challenges

She mentioned challenges relating to urbanisation in the country to include meeting the growing socio-economic needs of the urban population, such as housing, transportation, energy, employment, quality health care and education and essential services.

“In meeting these, we also need to position ourselves against the adverse effects of climate change, including floods and drought.

This is why we continue to bring stakeholders together on this platform, which is held annually, to dialogue on ways of harnessing the opportunities available.

We cannot stop the population from growing, but we need to plan and challenge ourselves more,” she said.

The minister said, for example, that the youth dominated the population of the country and should be seen as an advantage to national development, rather than just a challenge, so that the demographic advantage could be harnessed for development.

Hajia Mahama said the forum provided a platform for knowledge and experience sharing on urban development, from which proposals for pragmatic solutions to managing the complex challenges of cities and towns could be put forward.

Opportunities, challenges

The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, said Ghana was urbanising fast and projected to be among the countries to urbanise very fast within the next 30 years globally.

While acknowledging that urbanisation was not a bad thing, he said if it was not managed properly, it could pose serious challenges, especially in the era when climate change could impact negatively.

He said it was the vision of the metropolitan assemblies in the country, therefore, to build sustainable, resilient and liveable communities, while appreciating human diversity, growth and inclusiveness.

Transformative trend

The UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Sylvia Lopez, commended the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for the initiative, which she said was critical to the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).