Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Local Government Minister
By Bright Philip Donkor
The Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has stated that the first phase of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Projects has made a substantial impact in the lives of thousands in Northern Ghana, as recent reports reveal.
At a media soiree, the Minister noted that the US$18.5 million investment had yielded impressive results in its inaugural year, transforming communities across the Northern and Oti regions.
He explained that the SOCO initiative, designed to economically empower communities and enhance their resilience, had completed 530 infrastructure projects.
Tangible results
He mentioned that these include the construction of roads, classroom blocks, healthcare facilities and clean water systems. Other notable achievements, he cited, include 42 newly built roads, 66 classrooms and teachers’ accommodations, 74 rural markets, 55 health facilities and 211 water facilities, including mechanized boreholes and small-town water systems.
According to him, the benefits of these projects extend to over 260,000 people directly, with many more expected to gain from the improvements in their communities.
Mr. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah lauded the SOCO project for its substantial economic impact, noting that it had created 3,748 jobs through community participation in construction.
He also indicated it had enhanced the skills of 4,709 local development actors, and supported 9,954 farmers and rural enterprises with technical and financial aid.
Community engagement
He stressed that a key component of the project’s success had been its emphasis on community engagement.
“By involving local stakeholders in decision-making, SOCO has ensured that projects align with the needs and priorities of the communities. This participatory approach has fostered enthusiasm and greater involvement among local residents,” the Minister stated.
He announced that as the SOCO project transitioned into its second phase in September 2024, it would benefit from an additional US$29 million investment.
This expansion, he emphasised, was expected to further enhance the project’s impact, promising continued improvement in the lives of Northern Ghana’s residents.
He further underscored the importance of media collaboration in disseminating information about the project’s progress and successes.
Project’s focus
Madam Elizabeth Ohenewah Agyei, the SOCO Project Coordinator, emphasised the project’s focus on preventing conflicts and engaging communities. She noted that the prioritisation of community needs had led to increased enthusiasm and participation in the project.
The Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) initiative, a US$450 million World Bank-sponsored program, is also being implemented in Togo, Benin and La Côte d’Ivoire.
In Ghana, the project, with an estimated US$150 million budget, spans 48 Municipal and District Assemblies across the Northern, Savannah, Upper West, Upper East, North East and Oti regions.
The project aims to prevent conflict spread from the Sahel, reduce vulnerabilities in exposed border communities, improve youth employability through economic opportunities, and strengthen local institutions to enhance public trust.
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