Tamale, Sagnarigu join forces with EU to help build Greater Tamale

The Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing an Interjurisdictional Coordination Management Committee (ICMC) toward strengthening coordinated urban governance in the Greater Tamale area.

Alhaji Adam Abubakari Takoro, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, and Abdulai Imoro Gong, Sagnarigu Municipal Chief Executive, signed the MoU at a ceremony in Tamale at the weekend, which was witnessed by Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister, and Rune Skinnebach, European Union Ambassador to Ghana.

The establishment of the ICMC came in response to the growing need for collaborative governance as urban expansion increasingly transcended administrative boundaries.

The Committee would serve as a coordination and facilitation platform between the two assemblies promoting dialogue, aligning planning processes, identifying shared priorities and supporting joint actions especially in spatial planning and solid waste management.

The ICMC does not constitute a separate legal entity and will not manage public funds.

It is designed to enhance coordination, improve coherence in public action and enable more effective responses to cross-boundary challenges that cannot be efficiently addressed by a single local authority.

It has been developed with support from the European Union under the Sustainable Cities Project – Phase 1, implemented by Expertise France in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council.

It reflects a broader commitment by national, regional, and local stakeholders to promote integrated urban development and improved metropolitan governance in the country.

Alhaji Takoro, speaking after signing the MoU, highlighted the importance of partnerships in addressing complex development challenges such as climate change, security, water and sanitation and food security, emphasizing that coordinated efforts were key to improving citizens’ well-being.

For his part, Gong expressed his Assembly’s commitment to the partnership and said the collaboration would strengthen urban governance, enhance service delivery, and promote sustainable development in the Greater Tamale area.

The formalisation of the ICMC is built on ongoing collaboration between the two assemblies, especially in solid waste management.

Work is already underway to develop a harmonized waste management system in the Greater Tamale area, based on coordinated planning, shared operational approaches, and unified service standards.

John lauded the initiative and urged the two assemblies to embrace it to help address the critical challenges facing the people in their jurisdictions.

He expressed gratitude to the European Union for its continued support for the development of the region.

Skinnebach commended the leadership of the two assemblies and described the initiative as a practical tool for improving efficiency and service delivery.

He emphasized that coordinated action was essential and indicated that developments in one jurisdiction inevitably impacted neighbouring areas.