Ghana requires an estimated US$37 billion annually to address its infrastructure deficit and support sustainable urbanisation, the World Bank has said.   

The Bank said investment in infrastructure, stronger local institutions, and effective implementation of the National Urban Policy would be critical to managing the country's rapid urban growth.   

Madhu Raghunath, Urban Resilience and Land Practice Manager at the World Bank, said this at the ninth Ghana Urban Forum in Accra, where the government launched the National Urban Policy.   

She said Ghana had become one of the most urbanised countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 57 percent of its population living in cities and towns, and projected the urban population would more than double by 2050.   

"There is a huge infrastructure gap. Ghana's Infrastructure Plan (2019) estimates a staggering US$37 billion is needed annually to build the infrastructure that supports economic growth and improves quality of life by 2047," she said.    

Ms Raghunath identified flooding, inadequate housing, poor waste management, and traffic congestion as major urban challenges requiring urgent attention.   

"In Accra alone, flood risk to assets is estimated to exceed US$20m a year in average annual losses, among the highest such figures in Sub-Saharan Africa," she said, adding that the number of people living in slums had increased from 5.5 million in 2017 to 8.8 million in 2020.   

"Unmanaged solid waste and traffic congestion are polluting the air and contributing to climate change. Most urban households do not have access to waste services and dispose of their waste in uncontrolled dumpsites (38 per cent) or through open burning (23 per cent)," she noted.   

Ms Raghunath called for integrated investment in transport, power, waste management, and housing infrastructure to support urban development and job creation.   

She also urged the government to strengthen public-private partnerships, municipal financing, and local institutions to improve urban planning and service delivery.   

"Getting urbanisation right is central to Ghana's jobs and productivity agenda: well-planned cities reduce the cost of doing business, connect firms to workers and markets, and enable people, especially young people and informal workers, to access services, mobility, skills, and better livelihood opportunities," she said.   

Ms Raghunath commended the National Urban Policy for its ambition to promote inclusive urban development, affordable housing, improved mobility, climate resilience, and stronger citizen participation in local governance.   

Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, said the policy was designed to improve living conditions in informal settlements while preventing the emergence of new slums.   

He urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to incorporate the policy into their development plans and budgets, stressing that its success would depend on effective implementation.