By Abraham Donkor
Ghana’s Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to sustainable urban development, affordable housing and resilient local governance at the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The global forum, organised by UN-Habitat under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities,” brought together governments, mayors, development partners, urban planners and civil society organisations to discuss solutions to pressing urban challenges, including housing deficits, climate vulnerability and urban inequality.
Delivering Ghana’s country statement, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim outlined a number of policy measures and programmes being implemented by government to address the opportunities and challenges associated with rapid urbanisation.
He stressed that urbanisation remains a critical pillar of Ghana’s national development agenda.
“For us, the urban question is not peripheral to development; it is central to national transformation,” the Minister told delegates.
According to him, government is pursuing a comprehensive urban development strategy anchored on decentralisation, integrated planning and citizen participation, while strengthening Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to enhance service delivery, accountability and local economic development.
The Minister highlighted key interventions including the revised National Urban Policy and Implementation Plan, the National Homeownership Fund, the Affordable Housing Programme and the District Housing Programme, all aimed at improving access to decent housing and promoting sustainable urban growth.
He also showcased flagship initiatives such as the Local Economic Development Policy and the 24-Hour Model Market Initiative, designed to modernise market infrastructure, improve sanitation and public safety, ease congestion and create economic opportunities, particularly for women and young people.
Discussions at the forum focused on addressing the global housing crisis, building climate-resilient communities, expanding access to urban finance and accelerating implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim’s presentation resonated strongly with these global priorities, particularly the need to treat housing as a catalyst for inclusion, resilience and economic opportunity while empowering local governments to drive development from the grassroots.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Minister held bilateral talks with Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, to explore opportunities for strengthening cooperation between Ghana and the organisation in advancing sustainable urban development and housing delivery.
During the meeting,Mr Ibrahim commended UN-Habitat for its longstanding partnership with Ghana and its leadership in promoting sustainable urbanisation through platforms such as the Africa Urban Forum and the World Urban Forum.
He also informed the Executive Director of Ghana’s submission of its New Urban Agenda Report and underscored the importance of leveraging national institutions and local expertise in programme implementation to ensure sustainability and local ownership.
The Minister acknowledged Ghana’s financial contribution to UN-Habitat and assured the organisation that measures were being taken to address outstanding payment obligations.
Both parties exchanged views on housing delivery, implementation of the New Urban Agenda and opportunities for enhanced collaboration and resource mobilisation to support transformative urban development and climate resilience initiatives.
Ghana’s participation at WUF13 reaffirmed the country’s commitment to implementing the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, while strengthening international partnerships aimed at building inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities for present and future generations.
