Bolgatanga: The Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability hosted an Upper East Regional Stakeholder Consultation in Bolgatanga, uniting Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers, and key government institutions. The focus was on reinforcing climate governance and institutional capacity at the local level.
According to Ghana Web, this consultation is part of a nationwide initiative led by Hon. Seidu Issifu, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability. The initiative aims to engage Regional Coordinating Councils and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the proposed establishment of a National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and Climate Change and Sustainability Units. The goal is to enhance institutional capacity, improve climate action coordination, increase access to climate finance, and develop bankable climate projects that address local priorities.
During the opening of the consultation, Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga, praised President John Dramani Mahama for his foresight in establishing the Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability. This office is the first dedicated ministerial entity of its kind in Africa and signifies a robust national commitment to strengthening climate governance and advancing sustainable development.
Hon. Atanga highlighted that the Upper East Region is among Ghana's most climate-vulnerable areas, facing challenges such as prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, flooding, land degradation, desertification, and declining agricultural productivity. He emphasized the necessity of empowering local institutions to design technically sound, investment-ready climate interventions to address these challenges effectively.
"There is no better time than now to place a strong emphasis on building the capacity of our Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies," he stated. He stressed that the future of climate resilience depends on translating local priorities into technically sound, investment-ready projects that can attract both domestic and international climate finance.
The consultation was described as a crucial platform for strengthening collaboration between the Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, and MMDAs. Participants were encouraged to offer practical recommendations to shape the proposed Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and Climate Change and Sustainability Units.
In his keynote address, Hon. Seidu Issifu reiterated that the proposed initiatives are strategic efforts by his Office to enhance institutional capacity within Regional Coordinating Councils and MMDAs. He urged participants to contribute practical inputs and recommendations concerning the design, institutional arrangements, and operationalization of the proposed structures to effectively tackle local climate challenges and support sustainable development.
The consultation included technical briefings on the proposed Hub and Units, Ghana's climate change laws, policies, and institutional frameworks, as well as the Ghana Climate Atlas by the Ghana Meteorological Agency and climate mobility by the Global Centre for Climate Mobility. Participants engaged in extensive discussions and shared recommendations to strengthen climate governance, improve institutional coordination, and accelerate climate resilience across the Upper East Region.