Ghana’s Deputy Minister, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, has reaffirmed the country’s integrated approach to upgrading informal settlements at the Africa Urban Forum 2 (AUF2). Would you like more details?
She demonstred Government commitment to inclusive and integrated transformation of informal settlements with a strong emphasis on community-led upgrading and urban resilience at the Second Africa Urban Forum (AUF2) in Nairobi.
Delivering Ghana’s statement at a High-Level Session on “An Integrated Approach for the Transformation of Informal Settlements,” the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP), said informal settlements are critical components of urban systems and must be addressed through integration rather than exclusion.
The session, convened by UN-Habitat in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, brought together ministers, city leaders and development partners to advance coordinated solutions to Africa’s urban challenges in line with Agenda 2063.
Hon. Sowah noted that Ghana’s urban population, now over 56.7 percent, continues to expand, intensifying pressure on housing, basic services, tenure security and climate resilience.
She highlighted Ghana’s shift from fragmented interventions to integrated policy responses, including a revised National Urban Policy and a National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy developed with UN-Habitat support.
She also cited ongoing interventions such as the Ga Mashie Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme, the Greater Accra Resilience and Integrated Development Project and the Tamale Urban Resilience Project, which focus on community-led upgrading, flood mitigation and improved urban services.
According to her, these initiatives demonstrate Ghana’s commitment to citywide, multisectoral approaches that place communities at the centre of urban transformation.
She reaffirmed Ghana’s priorities to scale participatory upgrading, strengthen tenure security, empower local governments and mobilise sustainable financing for housing and resilience.
Hon. Sowah concluded that transforming informal settlements is essential to ensuring dignity, inclusion and sustainable urban growth across Africa.
