Commonwealth Local Government Forum

Using LED to achieve the SDGs in Ghana

11 January 2019

CLGF was in the Ghanaian capital Accra in December, hosting a national event entitled Local Economic Development: a Framework for implementation of the SDGs. The meeting, which brought together both elected and technical representatives from local government looked at how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be achieved through local economic development (LED) initiatives.

 

 

Working towards multiple SDG goals

 

With financial support from the European Union and UK AID, CLGF has been working with several councils on piloting strategies and actions using LED to work towards multiple SDG goals. These councils presented their strategies and achievements to the wider group. One of the participating districts, Tema Metropolitan Assembly, for example, shared their work on building capacity of small scale entrepreneurs. They described how they promoted inclusive development and income generating jobs for the poor and vulnerable groups in the metropolitan area, linking specifically to SDG 8 – decent work and economic growth. Another district, Nadowli-Kaleo emphasised the linkage of climate change adaptation to SDG 1 – no poverty, and SDG 2 – no hunger, in their work on climate smart market gardens. 

 

Joyce Ekuful, CLGF Programme Officer for the West Africa region, shared an overview of CLGF's project work in Ghana from 2012 to the present day, followed by a presentation of a paper commissioned for the meeting about LED and the SDGs in Ghana, given by Dr James K. Mensah, from the University of  Ghana. The workshop also included many eminent speakers from the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), such as Hon Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, NALAG’s President and MCE of Tema Metropolitan Assembly who provided both a metro and wider national perspective and encouraged his colleagues to build on these examples in their areas.

 

 

Stimulating the local economy

 

Claire Frost said: "CLGF is grateful for the ongoing support of the European Union and UK AID in making both the workshop and the projects on which the event is based, possible. We have heard many inspirational examples from across Ghana of how stimulating the local economy can really impact on the aims of all 17 SDGs. CLGF looks forward to continuing to work closely with NALAG and our Ghana partners to further support the institutionalisation of LED in Ghana.”

 

 

LED publication  

 

To accompany the event, CLGF worked with its partners to produce a booklet to highlight the projects. More information about the LED projects in Ghana can be found on our website.   

 

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