The Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability today, July 28, 2026, held its Upper East Regional Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Change and Sustainability in Bolgatanga, bringing together Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers and key government institutions to deliberate on strengthening climate governance and institutional capacity at the local level.

The consultation forms part of a nationwide initiative by the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Hon. Seidu Issifu, to engage Regional Coordinating Councils and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) on the proposed establishment of a National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and Climate Change and Sustainability Units. The initiative seeks to strengthen institutional capacity within MMDAs, enhance coordination of climate action, improve access to climate finance, and support the development of bankable climate projects that respond to local priorities.

Opening the consultation, the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga, commended His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama for the foresight and bold leadership demonstrated through the establishment of the Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, the first dedicated ministerial office of its kind in Africa.

He noted that the establishment of the Office reflects a strong national commitment to strengthening climate governance, advancing sustainable development and positioning Ghana to respond decisively to the growing challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.

The Regional Minister observed that the Upper East Region remains one of Ghana's most climate-vulnerable regions, experiencing prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, flooding, land degradation, desertification and declining agricultural productivity. He stressed that addressing these challenges requires stronger local institutions capable of designing technically sound, investment-ready climate interventions.

"There is no better time than now to place a strong emphasis on building the capacity of our Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies," he stated. "The future of climate resilience will depend not merely on our ability to recognise the challenges before us, but also on our capacity to translate local priorities into technically sound, investment-ready projects capable of attracting support from both domestic and international climate finance mechanisms."

He described the consultation as a critical platform for strengthening collaboration between the Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council and MMDAs, while encouraging participants to contribute practical recommendations that will shape the proposed Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and Climate Change and Sustainability Units.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Hon. Seidu Issifu, reiterated that the proposed National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and Climate Change and Sustainability Units are strategic initiatives of his Office aimed at strengthening institutional capacity within Regional Coordinating Councils and MMDAs. He called on participants to provide practical inputs and recommendations on the design, institutional arrangements and operationalisation of the proposed structures to ensure they effectively address local climate challenges and support sustainable development.

The consultation also featured technical briefings on the proposed Hub and Units, Ghana's climate change laws, policies and institutional frameworks, the Ghana Climate Atlas by the Ghana Meteorological Agency, and climate mobility by the Global Centre for Climate Mobility. Participants engaged in extensive discussions and shared recommendations to strengthen climate governance, improve institutional coordination and accelerate climate resilience across the Upper East Region.

Cedric Dzelu
Technical Director
Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability