A retiree and a former Head of the Department of Parks and Gardens, Mr. G. K. Owusu-Afriyie has donated about 40 books to the Department to boost horticulture and greening in Ghana.

The books were received by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Madam Marian W. A. Kpakpah on behalf of the sector Minister, Hon. Daniel Botwe.

Mr. Owusu-Afriyie presenting the books said the books were his personal contribution to the enhancement of the Department and to boost the knowledge of the staff on the plants.

He acknowledged that through his association as a Parks and Gardens staff, he has benefitted a lot, adding that, the Department exposed him to many travels, and has benefitted and is still benefitting from plants.

He encouraged Ghanaians to spend time on plants while calling on the Ministry to develop a portal for every plant at the Aburi Botanic Gardens for plant lovers and students in horticulture to access knowledge sharing and an opportunity for children to also learn about plants.

Ms. Kpakpah expressed the Ministry’s gratitude for the gesture describing it as heartwarming and encouraged all to emulate Mr. Owusu-Afriyie’s gesture.

She said knowledge acquired cannot be taken away, thus staff should tap into knowledge for greater heights.

The acting Director for the Department, Rev. Charles Okine pledged that the books would be put to good use.

Source:   PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)

A report on the implementation of the new Urban Agenda in Ghana has been launched in Accra today as part of the commemoration of World Habitat Day, which is observed every first Monday of October every year.

The report was by the effort of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), Ministry of Works and Housing (MWH), and the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).

This year’s World Habitat Day is being observed under the theme: “Mind the Gap. Leave No One And No Place Behind”. In 1985, the United Nations designated World Habitat Day the first Monday of October every year.

The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

Speaking at the commemorative event, the Minister for MLGDRD Hon. Daniel Botwe in a statement read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister for MLGDRD, Hon. Osei Bonsu-Amoah, stated that urbanization presents some of the most significant opportunities in the world today with cities acting as centres for economic growth and development even though they also face demographic, environmental economic and social challenges.

He stated that according to the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 which seeks to make cities inclusive, safe resilient and sustainable, identifies sustainable urbanization as one of the key priorities for global development.

This he said has made the adoption of the New Urban Agenda by the United Nations in 2016 has seen national and local governments around the world to embark on a transformative path towards making SDG 11 a reality.

The Minister indicated the MLGDRDs resolve to work to collaborate with the relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies to formulate policies and coordinate the implementation of programmmes and projects. It will also finalise and coordinate the implementation of the national Urban Policy objectives to guide the development of cities in Ghana.

In a speech read on behalf of the Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Asenso Boakye, stressed the need to prioritise and address housing shortages for a large segment of our cities and also to ensure that cities are planned and built in a more sustainable and inclusive manner.

Adding that “the Ministry of housing is fully committed to being a part of the many activities outlined for the urban month of October which ultimately seeks to achieve a sustainable human settlement in ensuring that no one and place is left behind.

Present at the ceremony were representatives from the UN-Habitat and the Director General of the NDPC, Dr. Kwadwo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa who launched the report.

Source: PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)

An orientation and sensitisation workshop has been held on the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project GPSNP 2 for the Bolga, Wa, and Tamale Zones.

Participants of the workshop were, Regional Ministers, Regional Economic Planning Officers, Regional Social Welfare and Community Development Directors, Regional Coordinating Directors, and District Chief Executive Officers.

The rest are District Coordinating Directors, District Planning Officers, District Social Welfare and Community Development Officers and Officers from the Business Advisory Centres (BACs) from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

GPSNP 2 has come as a result of an additional $100 million support from the World Bank to the government of Ghana for the implementation of phase two of the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP) that would be implemented from 2022 to 2025 in 100 districts across the country following the successful implementation of the first phase of the project, which spanned from 2019 to 2022, in 80 districts.

Mr. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, a Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development speaking at the workshop indicated that the GPSNP, a social intervention initiative, is implemented together by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) as part of measures of the government to improve the livelihoods of some vulnerable population

He stated that MLGDRD is leading the implementation of Labour-Intensive Public Works Programme (LIPW) and Productive Inclusion (PI) components of the project, whilst MGCSP focuses on Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) and Social Protection System Strengthening components.

Hon. Korsah stressed that the 100 beneficiary districts that will have the project implemented are urban areas, which were previously not included in phase one.

He noted that the objective of the second phase of GPSNP is to expand and enhance social safety nets that improve the incomes and productivity of the poor in rural and urban areas in Ghana.

The Minister explained beneficiary districts and communities on the project were selected using the latest available Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) data from the Ghana Statistical Service.

Source: PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)