The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA) has deepened its strategic cooperation with the Swiss Government through a high-level engagement with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), aimed at strengthening local governance and advancing sustainable urban development in Ghana.
The meeting, held in Accra, brought together senior officials of the Ministry and Mr. Philip Orga, Head of Operations at SECO, as part of preparatory engagements towards the official launch of the new phase of the Ghana Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (GUMAP II).
In his remarks, Mr. Orga reaffirmed SECO’s enduring commitment to supporting Ghana’s decentralisation agenda. He underscored the critical importance of government participation in project field visits, noting that insights from such engagements would play a pivotal role in shaping SECO’s future programming and investments.
“Our objective is to ensure that our partnership is informed by the real needs of communities. Government participation at the grassroots level helps strengthen that alignment,” he stated.
Key among the issues discussed were the promotion of inclusive governance, economic growth through infrastructure and trade, and the deepening of decentralised development. Mr. Orga also acknowledged Ghana’s progressive local governance reforms and highlighted SECO’s resolve to support improved service delivery at the sub-national level.
Responding to the discussions, the Chief Director of MLGCRA, Mr. Amin Abdul-Rahaman reiterated government’s commitment to deepening decentralisation, disclosing that the current policy review includes proposals for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to enhance public accountability and citizen participation. He further noted that 80% of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) will be allocated directly to the districts, a bold step towards empowering local governments to better meet the development needs of their communities.
The dialogue also focused on urban mobility as a national development priority. Both parties reviewed progress under the current phase of the GUMAP project and confirmed plans to expand its coverage to include two new cities, Tamale and Sekondi-Takoradi under GUMAP II.
Mr. Orga called for updates on stakeholder engagements in the new beneficiary cities and emphasized the need for inclusive planning frameworks that ensure broad-based citizen involvement.
The Ministry, for its part, requested stronger development partner support for sub-district structures, capacity building, and technical implementation support, especially as government accelerates the delivery of decentralised infrastructure and services.
Source: Stephanie Edem Klutsey
(Public Relations Unit MLGCRA)