Bolgatanga, Upper East Region— The Upper East Region has reaffirmed its commitment to Ghana’s national climate governance agenda, with the Regional Coordinating Council calling for stronger support for climate adaptation, climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem restoration and improved access to climate finance at the district level.
The commitment was expressed during a high-level engagement between the Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability and the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council ahead of a Regional Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Change and Sustainability.
The engagement, which began on Monday, 27 July 2026, forms part of a nationwide consultation process aimed at gathering inputs from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and other key stakeholders on proposed reforms to decentralise climate governance across Ghana.
The consultation is focused on the proposed establishment of a National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and Climate Change and Sustainability Units (CCSUs) within local government structures.
Leading the delegation, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Hon. Seidu Issifu, said the regional consultations would provide critical inputs and stakeholder consensus to support the preparation of a Cabinet Memorandum to institutionalise the proposed structures nationwide.
The proposed National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub is expected to serve as a national centre for climate research, innovation, capacity building, partnerships and climate finance coordination,
The Climate Change and Sustainability Units, meanwhile, are expected to embed climate governance within Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, enabling climate considerations to be better integrated into local development planning and implementation.
“Sustainability is fundamentally about ensuring that today’s development does not compromise the wellbeing of future generations. The decisions we make today—whether through bush burning, pollution of our water bodies, unsustainable farming practices or environmental degradation—will determine the quality of life for generations to come,” Hon. Seidu Issifu stated.
He said the Office of the Minister was also working to strengthen partnerships with Regional Coordinating Councils and MMDAs to improve access to climate finance and accelerate locally led climate adaptation and sustainable development initiatives.
Climate Change Threatens Upper East Agriculture
Welcoming the delegation, the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga, described climate change as one of the region’s most pressing development challenges.
He identified declining agricultural productivity, illegal mining, environmental degradation and increasing production costs for farmers among the urgent concerns confronting the region.
“The Upper East Region has always been one of Ghana’s food baskets. While mining may attract many young people, we do not eat minerals. Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy, and protecting it through climate adaptation must remain a national priority,” the Regional Minister remarked.
Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga further disclosed that the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council had developed a Regional Environmental Framework that incorporates climate change considerations.
He called for closer collaboration between the Regional Coordinating Council and the Office of the Minister to strengthen implementation of the framework through national technical expertise.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also provided a technical briefing on the region’s climate outlook, highlighting the impacts of rising temperatures, prolonged heatwaves and declining soil moisture on agricultural productivity.
According to the Agency, while the quality of fertilisers and agrochemicals remains unchanged, changing climatic conditions have reduced their effectiveness, forcing farmers to apply larger quantities at higher costs while achieving lower yields.
The briefing also highlighted increasing environmental degradation linked to illegal mining activities.
Climate Mobility and Displacement
Hon. Seidu Issifu also highlighted Ghana’s collaboration with the Global Centre for Climate Mobility (GCCM), noting that climate change is increasingly contributing to human mobility, disrupting livelihoods and creating emerging development and security concerns.
He stressed the need for stronger adaptation planning to prepare communities for climate-induced displacement while ensuring that both communities of origin and host communities receive appropriate support.
The issue is particularly significant for vulnerable regions where climate pressures can affect agricultural livelihoods, food security and household incomes, potentially driving migration and increasing pressure on already vulnerable communities.
Nature-Based Solutions in Nabdam
As part of the engagement, Hon. Seidu Issifu, Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga and their respective delegations visited the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project II (GPSNP2) plantation site at Nyogbari in the Nabdam District.
The delegation inspected a 10-hectare degraded communal land rehabilitation project, which combines cashew plantation development with a 20,000-seedling nursery.
The field visit provided an opportunity for the delegation to observe practical climate adaptation measures aimed at restoring degraded ecosystems, strengthening climate resilience, improving food security and creating sustainable livelihoods.
The Ministers interacted with project beneficiaries and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to scaling up nature-based solutions as part of Ghana’s broader climate resilience agenda.
Upper East Calls for Greater Climate Support
The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council used the engagement to call for increased support for climate adaptation, climate-smart agriculture, district-level climate finance, ecosystem restoration and stronger collaboration between national and regional institutions.
The Regional Minister assured the delegation that District Chief Executives, Coordinating Directors and Planning Officers would actively participate in the forthcoming Regional Stakeholder Consultation.
He reaffirmed the Region’s commitment to ensuring that the outcomes of the consultation reflect the realities and priorities of communities across the Upper East Region.
The engagement forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to strengthen climate governance at the local level by bringing climate decision-making closer to communities.
Through the proposed National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub, the institutionalisation of Climate Change and Sustainability Units across MMDAs, stronger partnerships with regional authorities and increased investment in community-driven adaptation, the Government is seeking to build a more decentralised and resilient climate governance system capable of responding to Ghana’s evolving climate challenges.
Source: www.climatewatchonline.com
