Ghana advances SDG localisation agenda at UN-Habitat in Nairobi – Ghana Business News
Ghana has demonstrated strong leadership and strategic progress in localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as shared during a high-level side event on Multi-Level Governance for SDG Localisation.
The event, which was held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Nairobi, formed part of the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, convened by UN-Habitat.
Madam Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, representing Ghana, outlined Ghana’s practical approach and policy infrastructure for localising the SDGs through coordinated national and sub-national governance systems.
She said the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) was Ghana’s apex planning institution responsible for developing national policy frameworks, issuing guidelines to sectors and local authorities, and producing annual progress reports that incorporated SDG indicators.
Madam Sowah said the Ministry, working in close partnership with the Ministry of Finance, facilitated the development of planning and budget guidelines that aligned local development efforts with global goals.
“Ghana’s SDGs Advisory Unit, located at the Office of the President, also plays a pivotal role in coordinating SDG implementation across government agencies and with development partners,” she added.
She noted that Ghana’s national policies, including the National Urban Policy and the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy were deliberately designed to align, adapt, and adopt the SDGs into the country’s development priorities.
The Deputy Minister referenced the Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme, a flagship initiative supported by UN-Habitat, which sought to integrate the SDGs into city development using data-driven planning, spatial development frameworks, and community-led approaches.
Ten selected Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies are currently at varying stages of implementation, especially in spatial planning and investment identification.
“Assemblies such as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Ga West Municipal Assembly, and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly have already embarked on Voluntary Local Reviews, making Ghana one of the few countries in Africa advancing local-level SDG reporting,” she added.
The deputy minister acknowledged the critical oversight role of the Regional Coordinating Councils in monitoring and evaluating the performance of local authorities under Ghana’s decentralised governance framework.
She said key institutions including the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation, the Institute of Local Government Studies, and the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service, were all tasked with policy coherence, technical capacity-building, and administrative oversight.
She emphasised that Ghana was scaling up efforts to deepen its partnerships with UN-Habitat and other development actors to implement the New Urban Agenda.
Madam Sowah expressed the country’s full support for the adoption of the upcoming UN-Habitat Strategic Plan (2026–2029) and the International Guidelines on People-Centred Smart Cities.
She cited the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP), implemented in areas like Ga Mashie, as an example of how targeted urban interventions could produce tangible benefits for the urban poor.
“Ghana remains committed to translating global commitments into meaningful local action. Through bold policies, inclusive planning, and strong partnerships, we are shaping cities that work for everyone, especially the most vulnerable,” she stressed.
Source: GNA
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