New york: Ghana's Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, has reiterated the nation's commitment to accelerating the delivery of the New Urban Agenda. She outlined the country's strategic approach during her address at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Political Forum.
According to Ghana Web, the Deputy Minister highlighted four priority actions that Ghana is focusing on to achieve the goals of the New Urban Agenda. These include the scaling of affordable and inclusive housing, guided by the 2024 Housing Profile recommendations and the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy. Additionally, Ghana aims to strengthen integrated urban development and spatial planning through the implementation of the National Urban Policy from 2026 to 2035.
Further priorities include the expansion of urban infrastructure and local economic development through projects such as the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme, the Greater Accra Resilience and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, the Smart SDGs Programme, and the Sustainable Cities Programme. Sowah emphasized the country's efforts in advancing climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable cities, as well as enhancing urban governance, institutional capacity, and data systems, including the establishment of a Ghana Urban Observatory.
Sowah's address to the UN forum underscored the importance of the High-Level Meeting in accelerating the New Urban Agenda's implementation towards 2036. She praised the United Nations for providing a platform to review progress, identify gaps, and renew global commitment to this initiative.
Highlighting Ghana's progress over the past decade, Sowah pointed out the country's achievements in urban governance, economic productivity, and institutional performance, driven by digital systems, skills development, and private sector involvement. However, she acknowledged that rapid urbanization has outpaced progress, with a significant housing deficit of over 1.8 million units and approximately 37 percent of the urban population living in informal settlements.
The Deputy Minister assured global leaders that Ghana is committed to scaling up affordable housing and slum upgrading, strengthening local government fiscal capacity, expanding sustainable urban financing, and integrating climate resilience into planning and infrastructure. She stressed the importance of international cooperation and called for increased financing for housing and urban development, direct access to climate finance for cities, and expanded technical and multilateral collaboration.
Adopted in 2016 at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador, the New Urban Agenda represents a vision for sustainable urbanization. Endorsed by the UN General Assembly, it serves as a guide for achieving sustainable development through well-planned and managed urbanization for both developing and developed nations.
Ghana's delegation to the High-Level Political Forum included Members of the Parliamentary Select Committees on Water Resources, Works and Housing, alongside officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of Works and Housing.