MMDCEs Urged to Accelerate Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme
The Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and Coordinating Directors have been urged to fast-track the implementation of the Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme to ensure sustainable urban development initiatives are delivered before the programme concludes in December 2026.
The call was made by Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, during an Orientation Workshop in Accra for assembly officials and partners involved in the programme.
She stressed that strong leadership at the local level, effective coordination between assemblies, and strict adherence to approved workplans were critical to achieving the programme’s objectives.
Hon Sowah said delays in implementation would undermine efforts to translate Ghana’s national SDG commitments into tangible improvements in urban planning, service delivery, and infrastructure at the district level.
She emphasised that decisive action and consistent follow-through were needed to ensure the programme delivers measurable results for communities.
The workshop reviewed progress made under the programme so far.
Participants discussed capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening the technical and managerial skills of assembly staff on SDG-aligned urban planning.
The meeting also highlighted the establishment of District Implementation Committees to oversee execution and monitoring at the local level, as well as ongoing support for Voluntary Local Review reporting across participating assemblies.
Officials used the session to identify bottlenecks affecting rollout and to agree on measures to improve coordination between the Ministry, regional coordinating councils, and district assemblies.
The Ghana Smart SDG Cities Programme was launched to support Ghana’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals by building the capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to plan and execute projects that promote sustainable urbanization.
The programme covers areas including smart infrastructure, climate resilience, waste management, and inclusive urban services, with the goal of ensuring that cities and towns grow in ways that are economically viable, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.
With a few months remaining before the scheduled conclusion in December 2026, the Ministry said it expects assemblies to move from planning to accelerated execution and reporting.
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