The government has launched a new 10-year National Urban Policy and a National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy, acknowledging that Ghana's previous urban development policy achieved only about half of its intended objectives as cities continue to grapple with flooding, housing shortages, congestion and unplanned settlements.

The National Urban Policy (2026–2035) and the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy (2026–2035) were launched on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, during the opening of the 9th Ghana Urban Forum in Accra under the theme, "Resetting Ghana's Urban Future: Thinking Nationally and Taking Local Actions for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Cities."

In a keynote address delivered on behalf of President John Mahama by the Board Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, the President said a review of Ghana's maiden National Urban Policy, introduced in 2012, showed that implementation reached only about 50 per cent of its intended outcomes.

According to the address, although progress was made in areas such as urban safety, spatial planning and environmental awareness, major gaps remained in affordable housing, urban financing, research, data systems and institutional coordination.

"The gap between policy and implementation persisted," the statement noted, attributing the shortcomings to weak coordination among institutions, inadequate financing, poor integration of the policy into sectoral plans and budgets, and insufficient monitoring.

The President's address also highlighted the rapid pace of urbanisation in Ghana, noting that the country's urban population has grown from about four million in the 1980s to an estimated 20.4 million in 2026. By 2030, nearly two out of every three Ghanaians are expected to live in urban areas.

The new policy seeks to promote sustainable urban growth, effective land use planning, climate resilience, improved infrastructure financing, affordable housing, digital governance and equitable access to essential services.

Speaking at the launch, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, said the accompanying National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy is designed to improve living conditions in informal settlements while preventing the emergence of new slums.

He urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to integrate the new policy frameworks into their development plans and budgets, stressing that their success would depend on effective implementation rather than the quality of the documents.

The Minister also assured participants that his ministry would coordinate the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of both policies to ensure they translate into measurable improvements in the lives of Ghanaians.

Meanwhile, Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, announced that his ministry has begun reviewing Ghana's National Housing Policy to align it with the new urban policy.

He said the revised housing policy would prioritise affordable housing, climate-responsive settlements, resilient infrastructure and stronger collaboration between government, the private sector and development partners to meet Ghana's growing urban housing needs.

The two policy frameworks will guide Ghana's urban development agenda from 2026 to 2035, with government hoping they will strengthen planning, reduce the growth of informal settlements and build more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities