Prioritise policy dialogue to spur socio-economic development – Minister

Mr Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development (MLGDRD), has called on experts, practitioners, and stakeholders to prioritise policy dialogues to spur socio-economic development, to improve urban mobility and accessibility.He said this helped to create policies that were well-informed, widely accepted, and effectively implemented, leading to more robust and sustainable socio-economic development to improve urban mobility and accessibility.'Addressing myriads of challenges such as traffic congestion, air pollution and inadequate road infrastructure in our cities and towns does not only rest with the MLGDRD with its stakeholders but requires a collective effort from other Ministries, Departments and Agencies,' he added.The Minister was speaking at the close-out event of the Ghana Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (GUMAP), dubbed the 'Urban Mobility Forum,' in Accra.The event was held under the theme, 'Prioritising Sustainable Urban Mobili ty and Accessibility in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).'The forum provided the opportunity for experts, practitioners and stakeholders within the urban mobility and accessibility space to share insights and ideas to foster sustainability of urban mobility and accessibility with a focus on GAMA.Mr Korsah said the GAMA had experienced rapid urbanisation and population growth, which had led to increased pressure on transportation infrastructure and services.He said the ministry had over the years collaborated with other partners to formulate policies, devise strategies, and design programmes and projects for improved mobility and accessibility culminating in increased road infrastructure and conditions and improved urban services and livelihoods.'Indeed, one of these policies includes but is not limited to the final revised draft National Urban Policy and Implementation Plan. This incorporated a strategy relating to urban mobility and accessibility,' he added. The Minister said this effort by the ministry was intended to guide the design of various programmes and projects with a focus that went beyond transport to promote mobility and accessibility.He said a key activity under the strategy was to allocate funding for urban mobility operating costs and investments from the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies and national budgets and diversify and include other potential sources of financing for urban mobility and accessibility.Dr Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, the Head of Civil Service, said researchers had argued that urban mobility challenges would worsen unless adequate measures were implemented as African cities continued to grow.He said the United Nations had pointed out that the urban population in sub-Saharan African countries was projected to double by 2050.Dr Aggrey-Darkoh said Ghana was among the rapidly growing urbanising Sub-Saharan African countries, adding that the urbanisation rate hovered around 4.7 per cent per annum.'Ghana Statistical Service has indicated that in 2021, 56.7 per cent of Ghana's population lived in urban centres,' he added.He said urban mobility affected every aspect of daily life, from commuting to work and accessing essential services, to fostering economic activities.The Head of Civil Service said 'We must be futuristic in orientation and institution normative measures that could address the critical problems of society including but not limited to sustainable urban mobility and accessibility.'As we deepen the decentralisation drive and prevent the centralisation of decentralisation, let us enhance the accessibility of our people to the necessities of life, leverage technology and innovation across all MMDAs, and Develop non-motorised transport options among others''Promote public awareness and engage stakeholders on what structures are necessary to improve our circumstances,' he added.Source: Ghana News Agency