As part of ongoing efforts to ensure the successful completion of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening project implementation across participating municipalities. The Ministry is working diligently with relevant stakeholders to resolve challenges, enhance project outcomes, and maximise the long-term impact of the initiative.

On Monday, July 29, officials from the Ministry met with stakeholders from the Sefwi Wiawso Municipal Assembly, including the Municipal Chief Executive and the Coordinating Director. Also present were project consultants and key contractors executing various projects within the municipality. The meeting formed part of a broader strategy to address project variations and other emerging issues that could hinder progress under the GSCSP.

The Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme is a flagship urban development initiative aimed at improving urban management and basic service delivery in selected municipal assemblies across the country. Sefwi Wiawso is among the beneficiary municipalities, with several ongoing infrastructure and development projects currently at various stages of execution. However, as is often the case with large-scale infrastructure programmes, certain implementation challenges have arisen, necessitating timely interventions.

During the meeting, contractors had the opportunity to present specific issues affecting the progress of their projects. Consultants and technical officers from both the Ministry and the Municipal Assembly offered guidance and technical solutions, all within the framework of existing project guidelines and legal provisions. The discussions emphasised transparency, strict adherence to contract terms, and the importance of effective communication between all parties involved.

The meeting concluded with a strong appeal to contractors to honour their contractual obligations, operate within legal and regulatory standards, and deliver high-quality work on schedule. The Ministry underscored its resolve to prevent delays and ensure that the objectives of the GSCSP are fully realised, given the programme’s critical role in transforming Ghana’s secondary cities into well-managed, service-oriented urban hubs.

This engagement highlights the Ministry’s proactive approach to project oversight and its continued collaboration with municipal assemblies and service providers. Through consistent monitoring, stakeholder dialogue, and technical support, MLGCRA is working to ensure that the GSCSP yields tangible and lasting benefits for urban residents in municipalities such as Sefwi Wiawso.

Source: Sandra Owusu Asamoah

(Public Relations Unit MLGCRA)

The Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) has successfully organized a two-day national validation workshop to finalize Ghana’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Strategic Plan for the period 2025–2030. Held from July 31st to August 1st at Royal Lee’s Hotel in Aburi, the event brought together stakeholders from across government agencies, development partners, and civil society organizations to ensure the strategic plan reflects national priorities and stakeholder input.

The workshop aimed to review and finalize the draft CRVS Strategic Plan, positioning Ghana to achieve universal and inclusive civil registration coverage. The plan, which builds on the successes and lessons of the 2016–2020 CRVS Strategy, aligns with Ghana’s Vision 2057 and global development frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

In her keynote address, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, emphasized the importance of a robust CRVS system, describing it as the foundation of legal identity and a key enabler of governance, human rights, and development.

"Civil registration and vital statistics go beyond recordkeeping. They are the gateway to legal identity and an essential building block for access to education, healthcare, social protection, and other fundamental rights,” she noted.

The 2025–2030 Strategic Plan outlines key priorities such as modernizing CRVS infrastructure, expanding mobile registration, promoting data interoperability, and investing in public education campaigns. It also emphasizes strengthening legal frameworks and inter-agency coordination, especially with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Statistical Service, Judicial Service, Ghana Police Service, the Institute of Local Government Studies, and development partners like UNECA, UNICEF, and UNFPA.

The Deputy Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to CRVS reform and modernization, calling on stakeholders to contribute their expertise in finalizing a plan that is both ambitious and responsive to the needs of the Ghanaian people.

Source: Melody Hini-Amoako

(Public Relations Unit MLGCRA)

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) and its development partners have reaffirmed their commitment to Ghana’s decentralisation and local governance agenda at the second Decentralisation Sector Working Group (DSWG) meeting held in Accra.

The meeting, co-chaired by Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim (MP), Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and Ms. Janine Walz, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland, focused on policy coordination, implementation gaps, and aligning efforts for deeper local impact.

In his opening remarks, Hon. Ibrahim stated that the Government remains fully committed to empowering local government structures as part of its broader Reset Ghana Agenda. He cited major strides made since the last DSWG meeting in March, including the nomination and orientation of 259 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), renewed payments to Assembly Members, and the operationalisation of governing boards of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), and the Local Government Service.

The Minister also announced key policy directions, including the reintroduction of the National Sanitation Day (NSD), planned elevation of districts to municipal status, and efforts to amend legislation such as the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) and the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925) to improve local-level efficiency and service delivery.

He further revealed steps being taken to re-lay the bill for the establishment of the University of Local Governance and Development to train professionals within the decentralisation space, support the devolution of health and education services to the district level, and strengthen Sub-District Structures to ensure local responsiveness. The Ministry also plans to launch a Royal Academy to build governance capacity among traditional authorities.

Ms. Walz, representing the Development Partners (DPs), commended the Government for its consistency in engaging the DSWG and highlighted the collaborative efforts toward finalising the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy (NDPS) (2026–2030). She also raised concerns about delays in District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) disbursements and called for timely government action to sustain results on the ground, especially as such delays affect the preparation of Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDPs) across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

She applauded the inclusion of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Catholic Relief Services, Cowater International, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in NDPS consultations, describing it as a positive demonstration of the Sector-Wide Approach in practice.

Presentations at the meeting covered the utilisation of the DACF by MMDAs, performance in the Local Government Service, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Local Voluntary Reviews (LVRs), and stakeholder input on the draft NDPS. Presenters included representatives from the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS), National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), and the Fiscal Decentralisation Unit (FDU).

Partners also reviewed progress on multiple donor-funded initiatives, including the European Union’s Public Financial Management (PFM) Compliance League Table, the PAIReD project (Partnership for Accountable and Inclusive Resilient Decentralisation) implemented by GIZ, and Canadian-supported programmes such as SIGRA (Strengthening Inclusive Governance for Resilient and Accountable Local Government) and Women in Local Governance. Other efforts spotlighted include World Bank-funded urban interventions under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme and decentralised climate finance support via the United Nations Capital Development Fund’s (UNCDF) Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL).

The DSWG brings together key government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations (CSOs), and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) to strengthen accountability and coherence in Ghana’s decentralisation efforts. The next meeting is expected to further assess progress and drive forward agreed reforms.

Source: Darling Maame Efua Cann

 (Public Relations Unit- MLGCRA)