Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has called for a bold national agenda to green Ghana’s cities, warning that the country’s rapid urban growth is pushing its major towns toward crisis.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 4, on the motion “Transforming Urban Ghana: Evidence-Based Solutions for Sustainable, Clean, and Resilient Cities,” he said Ghana stands “at a crossroads” where progress can no longer be measured by skylines and highways, but by the harmony between humanity and nature.

“Our cities — once symbols of vitality and promise — are straining under the weight of their own success,” he said. “Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale throb with energy and ambition, yet beneath this vitality lies a deepening crisis of congestion, pollution, and urban neglect.”

He cited alarming statistics from the Ghana Statistical Service showing that over 56.7% of Ghanaians now live in urban areas, a number expected to exceed 60% by 2030. The World Bank, he said, estimates that poor sanitation and pollution cost Ghana nearly 3% of GDP each year — a loss that undermines public health, productivity, and tourism.

Annoh-Dompreh lamented that air pollution in Accra has reached dangerous levels, with the Environmental Protection Agency attributing about 40% of the city’s PM2.5 emissions to road transport.

Read also: Read also: Transforming Urban Ghana: Evidence-based solutions for sustainable, clean, and resilient cities

He warned that if the trend continues unchecked, Accra could have more than 7 million people by 2040 living amid worsening traffic, flooding, and heat.

“Ghana is not alone in facing these challenges,” he told the House, urging the country to draw inspiration from successful cities worldwide.

He praised Kigali for enforcing a disciplined urban master plan that turned it into one of Africa’s cleanest capitals; Singapore for its “City in Nature” model that integrates green spaces and efficient transport; and Copenhagen for prioritising cycling and sustainable mobility.

“For Ghana, this translates into the urgent need to create non-motorised transport corridors and Bus Rapid Transit systems to reduce congestion, improve health, and cut carbon emissions,” he stated.

The Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP called for a national Green Cities policy that would compel Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies to increase tree cover, reserve green spaces in new developments, and promote rooftop gardens.

He also urged the modernisation of tro-tro fleets, the piloting of electric buses, and the decongestion of markets and terminals through structured spatial planning.

“Greening our cities must become a cornerstone of national urban policy,” he said. “The future of Ghana’s cities will not be determined by chance, but by the courage of our choices.”

Annoh-Dompreh ended his address with a stirring appeal for visionary leadership and public accountability.

“Let us be remembered as the stewards who planted trees of foresight, built corridors of equity, and designed cities of hope,” he said.

“The true greatness of a nation is not found in its monuments of steel, but in the livability of its cities and the sustainability of its soul.”