Ghana’s urban development anchored on innovation - Oppong Nkrumah addresses World Urban Foruma

The Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has said that the country's progressive approach to urban development is anchored on a series of innovative initiatives.

He mentioned the Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme as a flagship project under the initiative.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah was speaking at the 12th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) in Cairo, Egypt, last Tuesday.

Funded by UN-Habitat, the programme seeks to bolster the implementation of Agenda 2030, by focusing on data collection and analysis while offering incentives for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) certification at the local level. 

Significance

The minister said that the programme would ensure urban centres were not just places of economic activities, but hubs of sustainable growth, adding that it was a vision for resilient and data-driven urban planning.

He cited ongoing projects that aligned with Ghana’s urban development goals such as the Greater Accra Resilience and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, the EU Sustainable Cities Project, the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), and the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project.

Each of the projects, the minister said, would play a critical role in transforming the country’s urban landscapes into sustainable, resilient and economically inclusive environments.

Districts Housing Programme

Mr Oppong Nkrumah further mentioned the recent launch of a Districts Housing Programme, an initiative aimed at investing in green housing and accompanying infrastructure in districts in the country.

The programme also seeks to curb the ongoing trend of rural-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.

The minister said that the programme had the potential to alleviate urban pressures by nurturing sustainable communities across the country.

Strategic plans

In a related development, the Head of Civil Service, Dr Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, inaugurated Ghana’s side event last Wednesday, on the theme: Pursuing the urban agenda: The successes and challenges.”

He outlined the country’s strategic efforts to create inclusive and sustainable cities while tackling the multifaceted challenges brought about by rapid urbanisation.

Dr Aggrey-Darkoh said the country’s urban agenda was a collaborative journey that required partnerships, local governance enhancement and innovative solutions to ensure inclusive growth.

“Ghana recognises that achieving our vision for urban areas is a shared responsibility,” he said, emphasising the need to address systemic inequalities, enhance infrastructure and build resilient institutions. 

Dr Aggrey-Darkoh said the country’s urban future depended on collective actions that strengthened communities, drove economic growth, and ensured that no was left behind.