Akatsi north: Mr Iddrisu Issahaku, the Volta Regional Development Officer of the Strengthening Investments in Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation (SIGRA) project, has urged Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to be proactive and engage their District Assemblies more during planning and budgeting processes. This, he said, would ensure that local priorities are reflected in development plans.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Issahaku made the call at the end of a two-day capacity-building workshop for CBOs in the Akatsi North District, organized by SIGRA in partnership with Global Action for Women Empowerment (GLOWA) and supported by Global Affairs Canada. Mr Issahaku said the training formed part of SIGRA’s broader goal of building community resilience, particularly among women, children, and other vulnerable groups, to mitigate the impacts of climate change. He noted that one of SIGRA’s key objectives was to enhance local voices and influence decision-making at the district level.

‘You can only have a voice when you have the capacity, when you understand how the district assembly operates, how it plans, and how it budgets to deliver essential services,’ he emphasized. ‘Do not wait to be called. Reach out to your assemblies, find out when the planning and budget consultations are happening, and make your input. That is how to ensure your concerns are captured.’

Mr. Issahaku called on the CBOs to take a keen interest in the draft composite budgets of their respective assemblies and to advocate for the inclusion of priorities related to climate adaptation, women’s empowerment, and child protection. He said consultations with district planning officers would take place before the final approval of the 2026 budgets on October 31.

Ms Ivy Bedy, Project Officer at GLOWA, explained that the workshop equipped participants with practical knowledge of local governance systems, the roles of civil society organizations (CSOs), and strategies for effective engagement with local authorities. ‘We are confident that the participants are now ready to return to their communities to conduct needs assessments that will inform the preparation of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP),’ she stated.

The SIGRA project has earmarked two districts-Akatsi North and Anloga-for the capacity-building initiative. She explained that following the Akatsi North session, the team moved to Anloga, where participating CBOs included Dream Big Ghana Community Development Programs, Anyanui Tsormenyo Corridor Women Association, Tutudo, Fafa Ark Foundation, and Rest ‘O’ Nation. ‘Through initiatives like these, SIGRA continues to strengthen grassroots participation in governance and ensure that community priorities, particularly those affecting women, children, and vulnerable populations, are integrated into district-level climate adaptation planning and budgeting,’ Ms Bedy noted.