The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has launched the National Urban Policy (2026–2035) and the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy (2026–2035).
The two policies would provide a comprehensive framework for managing Ghana’s rapid urbanisation, promoting inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities, and improving the quality of life for all citizens.
The two frameworks are designed to guide the country’s urban development agenda by strengthening spatial planning, expanding affordable housing, enhancing climate resilience, improving urban governance, promoting sustainable financing and harnessing digital technology to support efficient city management.
The policies also seek to prevent the growth of slums while improving existing informal settlements through coordinated and inclusive interventions.
Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), launched the two policy documents on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama during the Ninth Session of the Ghana Urban Forum, in Accra.
The forum was held with the theme: “Resetting Ghana’s Urban Future: Thinking Nationally and Taking Local Actions for Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Cities.”
Dr. Thompson, who doubles as the Senior Advisor to the President on SDGs, said Ghana’s urban future lay at the heart of the country’s national resetting agenda, stressing that the increasing pace of urbanisation required deliberate planning to ensure that towns and cities remained inclusive, resilient, sustainable and economically productive.
He said Ghana’s urban population had grown from about four million people in the 1980s to nearly 14 million in 2020 and was projected to reach 20.4 million in 2026.
While urbanisation had contributed to economic growth, industrial expansion and poverty reduction, Dr. Thompson said it had also intensified housing shortages, congestion, flooding, sanitation challenges, environmental degradation and weak development control systems, placing enormous pressure on planning, governance and service delivery.
He noted that a review of the 2012 National Urban Policy showed that approximately 50 per cent of its intended outcomes had been achieved.
“Although the policy recorded successes in areas such as urban safety, spatial planning and environmental awareness, it fell short in affordable housing delivery, urban financing, research, data management and institutional coordination,” he added.
The NDPC Chairman stressed that urban development requires continuity and sustained commitment beyond changes in government.
Dr. Thompson said the new National Urban Policy built on the foundation of the 2012 framework while responding to present-day realities and future urban development needs, aligning with the SDGs, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the New Urban Agenda.
He said the policy envisions economically vibrant, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable and well-governed cities while recognising the importance of preserving Ghana’s cultural identity, historical monuments and heritage sites as essential components of urban development.
“This complements Ghana’s leadership in promoting reparatory justice by safeguarding the cultural heritage and historical memory of African peoples,” he stressed.
Dr. Thompson said sustainable financing would be prioritised through stronger local revenue mobilisation and greater private sector participation.
He highlighted digitisation as a key pillar of the policy, stating that modern urban management required digital planning platforms, geographic information systems, intelligent transport systems and electronic public service delivery to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability.
The NDPC Chairman said the government was working with land sector agencies to modernise land administration through digital technologies while collaborating with the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to increase housing delivery through innovative financing mechanisms and stronger private sector participation.
He added that climate resilience would remain a major priority through investments in preventive infrastructure, stricter enforcement of planning regulations and environmentally responsible urban development.
Dr Thompson said Ghana’s future would ultimately be determined by the quality of its cities and the living conditions of its people, stressing that effective implementation of the two frameworks would unlock economic growth, improve living standards and create more inclusive communities.
He called for stronger collaboration, sustained commitment, discipline and leadership to translate the policies into tangible results across the country.