Ghana pushes climate-resilient water investments to drive long-term growth

The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with key institutions to strengthen coordination mechanisms aimed at attracting and effectively managing climate finance in Ghana.

According to the ministry, the initiative seeks to ensure that investments in water infrastructure and services are not only resilient to climate shocks but also contribute to long-term socio-economic transformation.

Delivering the keynote address at a national dialogue and strategic planning session organised by UNESCO on January 22, 2026, the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, noted that Ghana’s climate resilience agenda depends on collective ownership, strong inclusion, and strategic investment decisions guided by science and data.

“Our goal is to ensure that investments in water infrastructure and services are not only resilient to climate shocks but also contribute to long-term socio-economic transformation,” he said.

He added that the ministry has advanced plans to prioritise climate adaptation options aimed at controlling water-related disasters and strengthening Ghana’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.

This, he explained, is in line with the government’s National Adaptation Plan, which addresses challenges related to water-related disasters and the effects of climate change.

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The minister further encouraged stakeholders to propose solutions that translate into concrete actions and bankable projects to support climate-resilient development.

“I therefore encourage all of us to engage openly, share our experiences, and propose innovative solutions that can translate into concrete actions and bankable projects,” he added.

For her part, the National Professional Officer for the Natural Sciences Sector at UNESCO, Melody Esiawonam Boateng, said UNESCO has developed an Integrated Early Warning System to detect water-related disasters.

She explained that the system is designed to provide timely and reliable data to help authorities anticipate floods and other water-related hazards, reduce loss of life, and minimise damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, particularly within farming communities.

“We gathered streamflow data and other information on weather variability to build this integrated early warning system, in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and other research institutes in Tokyo. If everything comes together, this system will provide early warnings to farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector, enabling them to make informed decisions,” she stated.

UNESCO’s early warning system is designed to support data-driven decision-making and enhance coordination among relevant institutions responsible for water management and disaster response.





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