Ghana has taken a major step towards building a more resilient disaster response system, as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partnered with key government agencies, private sector leaders, and risk experts to draft a comprehensive Disaster Management and Risk Finance Strategy Framework.
The high-level workshop, held in Accra through UNDP’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF), brought together representatives from the Ministry of Finance, National Insurance Commission (NIC), National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Ghana Hydrological Authority, Ghana Meteorological Agency, and other critical stakeholders.
The primary goal of the session was to co-create a financial safety net that will allow Ghana to quickly access funds when natural disasters like floods, droughts, and wildfires strike, reducing the impact on vulnerable communities.
Dr. Amina Sammo, the Coordinator of UNDP’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility, emphasized the importance of this initiative in her opening remarks, highlighting that the framework is not just about economic resilience, but also about protecting the livelihoods of everyday Ghanaians.
“This is about ensuring that the market women, farmers, and small business owners in our cities and rural areas don’t lose everything each time disaster strikes,” she noted. “Quick, predictable funding can make the difference between recovery and ruin.”
The proposed strategy aims to incorporate innovative financial tools like parametric insurance, contingency funds, and risk-layering mechanisms, which trigger payouts based on pre-set parameters like rainfall levels or seismic activity, rather than lengthy damage assessments.
Prof. Asaah S. Mohammed, the project’s Lead Consultant, encouraged participants to draw on global best practices while tailoring the framework to Ghana’s unique risk landscape. He also announced that a follow-up session would be held in the coming weeks to refine and validate the draft framework.
The workshop marks a critical step in aligning Ghana’s disaster preparedness efforts with global frameworks like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With this strategy, Ghana hopes to transform its disaster response approach, moving from reactive crisis management to proactive risk financing, ensuring a safer and more resilient future for its people.
