Decentralize policy fair to districts to allow grass roots participation – PRO CWSA

Mrs. Pauline Estella Tambro (1st left) @ the 2013 policy fair

By Patrick Baidoo

The Government of Ghana (GoG), as part of its efforts to allow all persons contribute towards policy formulation, and  review and at the same time create a one-stop avenue where the citizenry can confidently go and seek information from the various Government agencies has rolled out the Ghana Policy Fair.

Water & Sanitation for Urban Poor educates Ayigya residents on hygiene

Handwashing demonstrations

Source: WSUP

As part of activities to commemorate this year’s Global Hand washing Day, Water and Sanitation for Urban Poor (WSUP), held an awareness creation program to educate and promote proper hand washing with soap techniques among the residents of Ayigya Zongo community in Kumasi.

Climate Change in Africa: AfDB Advocates Gradual Transition to Green Growth

Source: AfDB

“Africa needs to change its development trajectory in order in order to win its fight against both poverty and climate change,” said the African Development Bank (AfDB) Vice President Aly Abou-Sabaa at the opening session of the Third Annual “Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa” (CCDA-III) that took place from 21-23 October 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund sets international precedent

Source: IIED

Scotland’s decision to integrate climate justice into international development programming is significant.

The model Scotland is developing for its Climate Justice Fund, including public and private sector contributions, could provide design elements for the Green Climate Fund — a global initiative to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars of finance to help the world reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to support the most vulnerable countries adapt to climate change.

Climate change studies analyse risks and resilience in urban Vietnam

Source: IIED

Three reports published today provide policymakers with concrete proposals to reduce the diverse threats that climate change poses to different communities in urban areas of Vietnam.

World Bank approves $97m to boost gov't service delivery

Source: World Bank

The World Bank Board of Directors on Thursday approved funds to support Ghana's on-going actions to improve the efficiency and coverage of government service delivery using Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

GIFMIS to improve financial management

Source: Ghanaweb.com

Public expenditure management and fiscal discipline are expected to improve under the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System, (GIFMIS).

Water and Sanitation for Africa to facilitate GLAAS process in Ghana, 19 countries

Source: RCN

To assist facilitate the UN-Water Global Assessment and Analysis of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS) implementation and country level consultations in Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO), is working closely with the Pan African Inter-governmental Agency, Water and Sanitation for Africa (WSA).

Majority of Ghanaians to die from 'heart diseases'

Source: Ghanaweb.com

A chunk of Ghana’s aged population is likely to die from cardiovascular diseases in the coming years.

Ghanaians warm up to medical phone service

Source: Ghana Medical Association

In about three weeks, Ghana’s health sector experiences a revolution through Vodafone Foundation with the launch of Healthline 255, a medical phone service in response to the need for credible and reliable health information to the Ghanaian people.

Wash your hands with soap to avoid diarrheal & cholera - Minister

Some children practicing hand washing with water and soap

From Patrick Baidoo, Koforidua

Millions of children in developing countries reportedly die every year from diarrheal, cholera and respiratory infections.

WaterAid Ghana promotes hand washing with soap at Nima

A girl being directed to wash her hands clean

By Nathaniel Y. Yankson

Nima has since time immemorial been classified as one of Ghana’s most filthiest and notorious suburban area. An area where garbage and human excreta could be seen littered all over with poor drainage system. Many were those who took ill and died as a result of this healthy environment.

A house with many rooms: Addressing loss and damage from climate change

Greenhouse gas emissions

The global community has been too slow to limit greenhouse gas emissions and too slow to adapt to the impacts that climate change will bring. Loss and damage are now inevitable.

Feature: More patience, less protest: the new politics of the urban poor

The urban poor

Source: IIED

A new book shows how poor urban communities across Africa and Asia have developed powerful new approaches that have enabled millions of people to get better housing and services, and —beyond this — social justice and inclusion in political processes.

Water deficit in Accra stands at 57m gallons

Source: Globalnewsreel.com

Daily water demand in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) stands at 150 million gallons although Kpong and Weija treatment plants, the major water treatment plants serving the area, can only produce 93 million gallons a day.

SAA makes presentation @ 3rd NHARCON in Accra

Source: SAA

A team from the Society for AIDS in Africa have made a presentation on the International Conference on Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa, ICASA 2013 at the 3rd National HIV and AIDS Research Conference, (NHARCON) in Accra.

World’s Poorest People Will Live in Africa by 2030 – Report

Source: World Bank

Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains strong with growth forecasted to be 4.9 percent (%) in 2013. Almost a third of countries in the region are growing at 6% and more, and African countries are now routinely among the fastest-growing countries in the world, according to the World Bank’s new Africa’s Pulse, a twice-yearly analysis of the issues shaping Africa’s economic prospects.

Poor Waste Management Hampering Ghana’s Attainment of MDG On Sanitation - CONIWAS

By Francis Tandoh

With two years to the deadline of the target set by world leaders in the 2000 for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), poor management of waste has been a cause of Ghana’s inability to attain the target on sanitation, according to Executive Secretary of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS).

Journalists Must Ensure Climate Resilience Finance Are Well Spent - IIED

A researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), David Dodman has entreated Journalists to constantly remind city officials and urban residents about 'hidden finance' for climate resilience, and ensure the money gets well spent.

Ghana’s Low Carbon Strategy Aims To Identify Emission Reduction

Mrs. Bernice Adiku Heloo

Source: Globalnewsreel.com

Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) has been targeted to help identify emission reduction mechanisms and financing plans to implement various initiatives for sustainable development in Ghana.

World Bank Group Must Take Bold Steps to End Poverty - Kim

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim

With more than a billion people in the world living on less than $1.25 per day, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim today said that extreme poverty was the defining moral issue of our time, and he described how a new World Bank Group strategy would realign the global institution to help end poverty by 2030 and boost shared prosperity.

Developing Countries Gain Support To Address Local Climate Challenges

Source: Globalnewsreel.com

Among the various interventions to mitigate the severity of climate change, a climate technology program (CTP) is focused on giving a range of global activities to meet the needs of private sector innovators in developing countries.

Develop Western Region: Ghana’s 1st Regional Human Report Advocates

Source – UN Information Centre, Accra

The maiden Western Region Human Development Report (HDR) has been launched, with a call on the residents and citizens of the region to join efforts toward implementing the key recommendations. It is Ghana’s first-ever regional HDR initiated and funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).