Mr Eric Kwame Akomani, National Project Officer, IOM Ghana, has appealed to Government to prioritise informal settlements in infrastructure planning by recognising the needs and realities of these communities.

He said these settlements were often characterised by inadequate access to basic services such as water, sanitation, and electricity, which posed unique challenges for infrastructure planning.

“By prioritising informal settlements in infrastructure planning, policymakers and planners can help address the unique challenges and needs of these communities, promoting more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development,” he added.

Mr Akomani made these suggestions during a presentation on the Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change Within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), a follow-up to the Africa Climate Summit II.

IOM with city officials from Accra, Addis Ababa and Bujumbura were in Addis Ababa for the African Climate Summit II and held a side event on “Assessing the Impacts of Climate-Induced Mobility on Cities in Africo.”

As a follow-up from the side event to sustain national momentum, IOM Ghana and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) held a media briefing to share key highlights of the findings of the research conducted on the inter-linkages between human mobility and climate change.
Mr Akomani called for development of a funding strategy to ensure allocation of resources and funding for the implementation of climate change and human mobility related adaptation actions.

Also, investments in local data systems tracking displacement, and the collection of sex and age-disaggregated data to ensure that mobile and displaced populations were counted, represented, and supported in realtime decision-making.