A powerful call to transform Northern Ghana into a thriving economic hub echoed through Bolgatanga on Monday, as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ghana’s National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs united voices to urge bold private investment and inclusive development.
The event, a high-level private sector forum under the UNDP Peacebuilding Fund Project, brought together public officials, entrepreneurs, civil society leaders, development partners, and financiers to develop practical strategies to tackle poverty and unemployment across the Upper East, Upper West, and North East regions.
UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Niloy Banerjee noted that while Northern Ghana continues to suffer from the highest poverty and youth unemployment rates in the country, it also holds vast untapped opportunities.
“The north has immense potential to transform livelihoods, power trade, and contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s economic development,” he said. “We must build strong entrepreneurship ecosystems and meaningful partnerships that turn potential into prosperity.”
Mr. Banerjee revealed that UNDP has already supported over 1,500 women and youth with entrepreneurship training and access to productive tools through projects like the Atlantic Corridor and Peacebuilding Fund. He also emphasized the importance of preparing local economies to tap into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
NDPC Director-General, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah challenged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to embrace a mindset shift from “administrators” to “chief investment officers” of their localities.
“The gap between potential and prosperity is not a lack of vision, but a lack of investment and forward-thinking local leadership,” she said. She introduced NDPC’s localized ‘Investment Toolkit’, now in use in eight districts, to guide assemblies in crafting investor-ready profiles and strategies.
To financial institutions, Dr. Amoah urged innovative models tailored to small enterprises and women-led businesses. “Let’s stop thinking of Accra as the only economic engine. The next wave of opportunity is right here in the north,” she declared.
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, echoed these sentiments, calling for urgent, concrete action to bridge the north-south development divide. He emphasized government’s commitment to empowering women and youth through targeted programmes such as the ‘Adwumawura Programme’, ‘Feed Ghana’, and ‘Nkoko Nketenkete’, which are boosting youth enterprise, food production, and agribusiness.
Mr. Ibrahim also announced the creation of a Women Development Bank to offer low-interest loans to women-owned businesses and the establishment of Agro-Industrial Zones in each region to stimulate value addition and job creation.
“Our young people and women must not just participate—they must lead,” the Minister stated. “The 24-Hour Economy initiative will ensure factories, markets, and services operate round-the-clock to maximize productivity and employment.”
All three leaders underscored the role of traditional authorities, civil society, and development partners as critical enablers of inclusive growth, social cohesion, and local empowerment.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga
