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The World Bank has commended Ghana for the remarkable progress made under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project.
They described Ghana’s performance as exceeding expectations and delivering beyond initial targets.
Mr Robin Mearns, the World Bank’s Global Director for Social Development, commended Ghana’s efforts during a tour by a high-level delegation from the World Bank to the SOCO project sites.
During the field visit, the delegation inspected community-level interventions in Jinlo along the Salaga corridor, including a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound and guinea fowl rearing project.
They engaged with stakeholders to assess midterm progress, strengthen collaboration, and explore opportunities for potential scaling up of the initiative.
The team also engaged with other income-generating groups such as the Shishegu soap makers and toured a newly built livestock market.
The SOCO Project is funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
It operates 48 selected districts across Ghana’s six northern regions with a focus on building inclusive, peaceful, and economically empowered communities along the northern border zones.
Mr Mearns said the SOCO Project was not only meeting the target but exceeded its targets, and that it was bringing tremendous economic prosperity to regions that had not seen much investment in the past.
“The scale and inclusiveness of the project are impressive, and I strongly encourage additional funding to extend its reach to the remaining vulnerable districts,” he added.
Mr Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional Minister, described the project as a game changer in addressing both infrastructural gaps and social vulnerability in the six Northern regions.
He noted that SOCO’s integrated approach was helping to shape peaceful and thriving communities across the regions.
Ms Elizabeth Ohenewah Agyei, the SOCO Project Coordinator, said the first cycle of the project had delivered 530 community infrastructure subprojects, with 489 completed and handed over as of February 2025.
“These include 33 roads and culverts, 59 educational facilities, 66 health centres, 210 water facilities, and 73 rural markets,” she said.
Ms Agyei said over 6,200 jobs, many for women, youth, and persons with disabilities had been created, and 744 livelihood groups with more than 24,000 members had received support to boost local productivity.
She added that a second cycle was underway, targeting the delivery of 680 additional subprojects across the 48 districts.
“The SOCO Project is not just about bricks and blocks. It’s about building community ownership and participation”
“We aim to strengthen the social fabric through inclusive leadership and shared responsibility, which are the true essence of social cohesion,” she stressed.
The delegation also participated in the inauguration of the Tamale Metropolitan Youth Parliament, a civic engagement initiative under SOCO that promotes youth involvement in governance and peacebuilding.
Source: GNA
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