By – Sadat Dabo

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for West Mamprusi Municipality in the North East Region, Mohammed Rabiu Jabaah, has praised the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project for transforming how development projects are planned and implemented in communities

According to him, the project has taught local authorities the importance of involving communities in development decisions, improving infrastructure standards and ensuring that public facilities respond to the actual needs of beneficiaries

Mr Jabaah made the remarks during the closing session of the first day of the four-day Ghana–Togo Joint Regional Working Session under the SOCO Project in Nalerigu, the North East Regional capital, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026

He said the initiative had introduced a development approach that brings communities together to identify shared priorities and participate in projects intended to benefit them

Community participation key to sustainable development

The West Mamprusi MCE explained that, before the introduction of the SOCO approach, some development projects were implemented without adequately consulting the communities expected to use them

He cited instances where schools were constructed between two communities, but one community refused to use the facility because its members had not been consulted during the planning process

He also recounted situations where boreholes were provided without considering the preferences and daily activities of women who were expected to fetch water from them

Mr Jabaah said SOCO had helped address such challenges by promoting consultations and encouraging clusters of communities to work together to identify projects that meet their collective needs

“Communities now have been brought together, a cluster of communities,” he explained, stressing that development projects should serve broader community interests rather than benefit only one settlement

He added that when residents participate in the planning and implementation of projects, they are more likely to protect the facilities and ensure that they remain useful for years

West Mamprusi adopts SOCO’s infrastructure standards

Mr Jabaah disclosed that West Mamprusi Municipality was adopting infrastructure standards introduced through SOCO, particularly in the construction of classroom blocks

He said the Assembly had recognised the need to construct classrooms with two verandas to improve their suitability for local climatic conditions

The municipality is also prioritising terrazzo flooring, which he said was more durable than ordinary cement flooring and could help reduce maintenance costs over time

He emphasised that classroom projects should be completed with the necessary finishing and furniture before commissioning, so pupils could immediately benefit from a conducive learning environment

According to him, the municipality considers the additional cost of these standards worthwhile because durable infrastructure provides greater long-term value than cheaper facilities that deteriorate quickly

SOCO-inspired improvements in CHPS compounds

The MCE further highlighted improvements in the construction of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, saying the municipality was adopting an approach that includes accommodation for health workers

He disclosed that West Mamprusi constructed two CHPS compounds in 2025, with the nurses’ accommodation completed and furnished with beds, televisions and cooking facilities

Mr Jabaah said providing accommodation and basic amenities was necessary to encourage health workers to accept postings to communities, particularly those far from major settlements

He explained that health facilities should not merely be constructed; the conditions required for health personnel to live and work effectively must also be provided

He said the municipality wanted to ensure that health infrastructure was fully functional and that residents could access essential healthcare services without unnecessary difficulties

MCE backs borehole drilling for dry-season farming

Mr Jabaah also identified dry-season farming as an area where lessons from the Ghana–Togo exchange could support agricultural development in the North East Region

He said he was particularly impressed by presentations from the Togolese delegation on the use of boreholes to support farming during the dry season

He disclosed that the MMDCEs in the North East Region were supporting the Regional Minister, Ibrahim Tia, in efforts to acquire a drilling rig to help provide boreholes for communities and farmers interested in dry-season agriculture

The MCE proposed the use of solar energy to power the boreholes, arguing that it could reduce dependence on increasingly expensive electricity and provide a sustainable source of energy for irrigation

He said the initiative could enable farmers to cultivate crops throughout the year, increase agricultural production and contribute to poverty reduction in the region

Ghana–Togo cooperation to deepen SOCO’s impact

Reflecting on the four-day joint working session, Mr Jabaah said the exchange had provided valuable insights into the similarities between development initiatives being implemented in Ghana and Togo

He expressed satisfaction that both countries were pursuing comparable approaches to community development and said continued interaction would allow them to share experiences, identify effective practices and strengthen the implementation of the SOCO Project

He urged stakeholders to sustain the cross-border collaboration beyond the meeting, noting that the lessons gained could improve development outcomes in both countries

The SOCO Project seeks to strengthen social cohesion, improve access to basic social services and support community resilience in vulnerable areas across participating regions

Mr Jabaah concluded by thanking the organisers and participants from Ghana and Togo, expressing hope that the joint sessions would continue to deepen cooperation and maximise the project’s benefits for communities on both sides of the border