The government has unveiled a new National Urban Policy (2026–2035) and a National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy (2026–2035), aimed at addressing Ghana’s growing urban challenges after acknowledging that the country’s previous urban development policy achieved only about half of its intended objectives.
The two policy frameworks were launched on Tuesday, July 28, during the opening of the 9th Ghana Urban Forum in Accra, held under the theme: “Resetting Ghana’s Urban Future: Thinking Nationally and Taking Local Actions for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Cities.”
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the Board Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, said a review of Ghana’s first National Urban Policy, introduced in 2012, found that implementation had reached only about 50 per cent of its targets.
According to the President’s address, although progress was made in areas such as urban safety, spatial planning and environmental awareness, significant shortcomings remained in affordable housing, urban financing, research, data management and institutional coordination.
“The gap between policy and implementation persisted,” the address noted, attributing the shortfalls to weak institutional coordination, inadequate funding, poor integration of the policy into sectoral plans and budgets, and ineffective monitoring mechanisms.
The President also highlighted Ghana’s rapid urbanisation, noting that the country’s urban population has increased from approximately four million in the 1980s to an estimated 20.4 million in 2026. By 2030, nearly two-thirds of the population is expected to reside in urban areas.
The new National Urban Policy seeks to promote sustainable urban growth through improved land use planning, climate resilience, affordable housing, enhanced infrastructure financing, digital governance and equitable access to essential public services.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, said the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy would focus on improving living conditions in informal settlements while preventing the emergence of new slum communities.
He urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to incorporate the new policy frameworks into their development plans and budgets, stressing that successful implementation would depend on concrete action rather than the quality of the policy documents.
The minister also assured stakeholders that his ministry would coordinate the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of both policies to ensure they deliver measurable improvements in urban development and the quality of life of residents.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, announced that his ministry had begun reviewing Ghana’s National Housing Policy to align it with the new urban policy.
He said the revised housing policy would prioritise affordable housing, climate-resilient communities, sustainable infrastructure and stronger partnerships between government, the private sector and development partners to address the country’s increasing urban housing demand.
The two policy frameworks will guide Ghana’s urban development agenda from 2026 to 2035, with the government aiming to strengthen urban planning, reduce the growth of informal settlements and build more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities.
