Mayor of Accra invites African cities to join the Covenant!

Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Mayor of Accra, Ghana, has called on African Mayors and city leaders to join the network of African cities to empower their cities and overcome climate change. Climate change is the overarching source of many serious problems faced by African cities, making Africa one of the most vulnerable continents to the change in global climate patterns.

“We have seen the need, taken some steps to mitigate and for our citizens to adapt to the inevitability of climate change,” said Mr Sowah. “My fellow Mayors and leaders in African cities, inaction is clearly not an option for us. Let us step up action to mitigate and adapt.”

Hon. Mohamed Adjei Sowah, Mayor of Accra, Ghana

The city of Accra joined the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) initiative in 2015 and voluntarily committed to a long-term vision to provide access to sustainable and affordable energy, improve climate resilience and reduce the emission of Greenhouse Gas (GHG), by developing and implementing a Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP).

“Accra is committed to continue being a proactive player in partnering local and international development partners who have climate change in focus to implement bold local initiatives that impact globally,” said Mayor Sowah, adding that “we are acutely aware of our vulnerabilities in relation to climate change.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana, the average temperature of Accra has increased by 1°C over the past 40years. People living in Accra, one of the fastest growing cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, have also experienced more torrential rains and sporadic flooding in the city. Tidal waves have become a concern in coastal fishing communities.

“As managers of the city, we have revised our vision in the face of changing global climate, to reflect the challenges of our time and to refocus our energies into building a smart, safe, sustainable and resilient city,” explained Mr Sowah.

The Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) is an initiative founded by European Union (EU) to support Sub-Saharan Africa cities in their fight against climate change and ensuring access to clean energy, through a voluntary commitment. It is a bottom-up initiative that allows cities to define and meet ambitious and realistic targets set by themselves in line with the covenant methodology. CoM SSA is open to any cities in Sub-Saharan Africa regardless of size. Join the Covenant now!