The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has said it will move quickly to roll out practical measures to protect residents from extreme heat, after meeting with the Partnership for Healthy Cities (PHC) on Monday.
This came up when the PHC Africa Deputy Director at Vital Strategies, Mr Joseph Ngamije, paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, to review progress on the city’s heat-health intervention and align on next steps.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Ngamije said the discussion centred on bottlenecks slowing implementation and “practical solutions to ensure timely delivery.”
He described Mr Allotey as “a man of action,” noting that his push for quick results matches Vital Strategies’ approach.
He said Accra is one of PHC’s strategic partner cities in Africa, with heat-health as its flagship intervention, adding that the project targets non-communicable diseases and climate-related health risks that hit vulnerable groups hardest as temperatures rise.
Mr Ngamije commended AMA’s communication campaign plan, saying it will be key to raising public awareness on heat risks and how residents can respond.
He also praised the city technical team for coordination and commitment, saying Accra has shown readiness to move from strategy to implementation.
Mayor Allotey welcomed the partnership and assured Vital Strategies of AMA’s full support, saying the Assembly will prioritise initiatives that build climate resilience, protect public health, and improve well-being for residents, especially those most affected by rising temperatures.
“We will ensure the heat-health intervention is implemented in a timely and effective manner,” the Mayor stated, while thanking PHC and Vital Strategies for continued technical and financial support.
Bala Ali
