Northern RCC Ghana

𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗞𝗟𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗬 𝗢𝗡 ‘𝗟𝗘𝗧’𝗦 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗦’ 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗞

The Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) has welcomed the Marathon Walker of Ghana, King Klottey, as he passed through the Northern Region as part of a nationwide marathon walk aimed at raising public awareness on the urgent need to protect Ghana’s water bodies.

King Klottey was received at the Tamale Jubilee Park on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by the Regional Security Liaison Officer, Chief Satia Naa Adam, who represented the Northern Regional Minister.The marathon walker is undertaking the walk from the Burkina Faso border to Accra as part of an advocacy campaign to draw attention to the growing threat of water pollution across the country.

The walk, which commenced at the Burkina Faso border on September 17, 2026, is expected to end in Accra on October 10, 2026. It is being undertaken under the theme “Let’s Save Our Water Bodies,” with the objective of mobilising public support and encouraging individuals, communities, institutions and other stakeholders to take action to protect Ghana’s rivers, streams and other water resources.

Speaking during the reception, King Klottey expressed appreciation to Chief Satia Naa Adam and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council for the warm reception accorded him and his team. He explained that the marathon was not merely a physical endurance exercise but an advocacy initiative intended to generate greater public consciousness about the dangers posed by water pollution.

He noted that the degradation and pollution of water bodies had serious implications for the country’s socio-economic development, particularly for agriculture, fishing, health, livelihoods and the general wellbeing of communities. He therefore appealed to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council and other stakeholders to support the initiative to enable it achieve its intended objectives.

King Klottey further called for stronger public participation in efforts to safeguard Ghana’s water resources, stressing that protecting water bodies required collective responsibility and sustained commitment from government institutions, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, the private sector and the general public.

Responding, Chief Satia Naa Adam, on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister, the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, chiefs and people of the Northern Region, welcomed King Klottey to Tamale and commended him for embarking on the marathon walk to promote public awareness on the protection of water bodies.

He emphasized the importance of water to human survival and national development, noting that water was needed in virtually every aspect of life, including homes, farms, hospitals, schools, offices and other institutions. He therefore stressed that the protection of water bodies should be treated as a collective national responsibility.

Chief Satia Naa Adam said the increasing pollution and destruction of water bodies posed a threat not only to present-day communities but also to future generations. He therefore called for a change in attitudes towards the environment and urged individuals and communities to desist from activities that pollute or destroy rivers, streams and other sources of water.

He assured King Klottey of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council’s commitment to supporting the marathon walk and its broader objective of creating awareness and encouraging action to protect the country’s water resources.

The Regional Security Liaison Officer also called on security agencies, traditional authorities, political leaders, opinion leaders, religious leaders, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to join the campaign against activities that contribute to the pollution and destruction of Ghana’s water bodies.

He stressed that the fight against water pollution could not be left to government alone, but required the active involvement of all sections of society. He encouraged communities along water bodies to take ownership of their environmental resources and report activities that threaten the quality and sustainability of those resources.

Chief Satia Naa Adam wished King Klottey and his team a successful journey as they continued their walk towards Accra, expressing the hope that the campaign would generate the desired public awareness and encourage concrete action towards safeguarding Ghana’s water bodies for present and future generations.

The reception in Tamale formed part of King Klottey’s journey across the country as he engages communities and stakeholders on the need for collective action to preserve Ghana’s water resources.

𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗢𝗥𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗗𝗘, 𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗔𝗦 𝗕𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗔𝗪𝗜𝗔 𝗜𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗖 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗦 𝟯𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗤𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗖 𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

The Mayor of Tamale, Hon. Abubakari Adam Takoro, has commended the leadership, teachers, parents and students of the Bambawia Islamic Institute for their sustained commitment to Quranic education, moral formation and community development over the past three decades.

He said the Institute’s 30-year journey of organising its Annual Quranic Ceremony was a remarkable achievement that demonstrated its dedication to Islamic education and the moral development of young people in the Northern Region.

Hon. Abubakari Adam Takoro made the commendation on Saturday, September 19, 2026, when he represented the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf John, at the 30th Annual Quranic Ceremony of the Bambawia Islamic Institute Foundation in Tamale.

The ceremony brought together the Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), Municipal Chief Executives, a District Chief Executive, traditional leaders, Ulamas and Imams, parents, students, members of the Muslim community, distinguished guests and the media.

Speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister, Hon.Takoro extended warm felicitations to the management and entire Bambawia Islamic Institute family on reaching the milestone, describing the occasion as an important moment to celebrate three decades of commitment to Quranic education and community service.

He particularly commended the Director of the Institute, Sheikh Luqman Mohammed Bamba, for his vision, perseverance and leadership in sustaining the institution and its annual Quranic ceremony.

According to him, Bambawia Islamic Institute had gone beyond teaching the Holy Quran to contributing to the formation of disciplined, morally upright and responsible citizens capable of making positive contributions to their communities.

He noted that through its activities, the Institute continued to contribute to the preservation of Islamic values, promotion of peaceful coexistence and development of human capital in the Northern Region.

The Mayor said the theme for this year’s ceremony, “Gratitude: A Pathway to Spiritual Fulfilment and Social Growth,” was timely and reflected an important virtue strongly encouraged by Islam and valued by responsible societies.

He explained that gratitude should not be limited to words but must be demonstrated through action, urging individuals to show appreciation to their parents by caring for them and upholding the values they had taught them.

He also encouraged students and young people to demonstrate gratitude to their teachers by respecting them and putting the knowledge they acquired into practice, while contributing positively to the development and peace of their communities.

Quoting from the Holy Quran, Surah Ibrahim, Chapter 14, Verse 7, Hon. Takoro said: “And when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more.’” He said the verse served as a reminder that people must appreciate the blessings and progress they had already received while remaining committed to further development.

Hon.Takoro used the occasion to encourage young people to recognise that education came with responsibility, stressing that knowledge gained from the Quran should guide them to become honest, compassionate, hardworking and respectful members of society.

He urged the youth to reject violence, intolerance, corruption, drug abuse and other behaviours that could undermine their future and threaten the peace and development of their communities. The Mayor also called on the people of the Northern Region to continue appreciating and supporting religious and traditional leaders for their contributions towards peace, moral guidance and social cohesion.

He further assured religious institutions, Traditional Authorities, Civil Society Organisations and development partners of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council’s commitment to collaboration in promoting education, peace, inclusion and sustainable development across the region.

He encouraged stakeholders to work together to advance the development of the Northern Region and Ghana as a whole, emphasising the importance of collective efforts in addressing the challenges confronting communities.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sagnarigu, Hon. Abdulai Imoro Gong, has expressed profound appreciation to the Director of Bambawia Islamic Institute, Sheikh Lukuman Bamba, for his unwavering commitment to praying for the President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, his appointees and the entire nation.

Hon.Gong praised Sheikh Lukuman Bamba for making prayers for the nation and its leadership an important part of his religious responsibility, stressing the need for continued spiritual guidance and prayers for peace, wisdom, protection and national progress.

The occasion was climaxed with a special prayer led by Sheikh Lukuman Bamba for President John Dramani Mahama, his appointees and the people of Ghana.The prayer sought Allah’s guidance, wisdom, protection and blessings for the President and the country, while also asking for peace, unity, stability and prosperity for the nation.

𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧, 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗨𝗦𝗛 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗔 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗

The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for a concerted effort to transform Ghana’s shea industry from a largely raw-material sector into a globally competitive value-added industry capable of creating jobs, increasing incomes and improving livelihoods.

She said the shea sector presented significant opportunities for economic transformation, particularly for women and young people in northern Ghana, and urged stakeholders to intensify investments in processing, technology, innovation, branding, market access and sustainable production.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang made the call when she delivered the keynote address at the 3rd Edition of the World Shea Expo, held at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

The Expo is being held under the theme: “From Local Commodity to Global Brand: Accelerating Women and Youth-Led Value Addition in Shea.” It has brought together policymakers, traditional leaders, MMDCEs, producers, women’s groups, youth entrepreneurs, investors, development partners, researchers, international buyers and other stakeholders in the shea value chain.

The Vice President said Ghana could no longer afford to focus predominantly on the export of raw shea resources when substantial economic opportunities existed in processing, product development, packaging, certification, branding and international marketing.

She emphasised the need to retain a greater proportion of the value generated from Ghana’s shea resources within the country and ensure that the communities and people who had sustained the industry benefited meaningfully from its growth.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also highlighted the important role of women in the shea value chain, particularly in the collection, processing and trading of shea, and called for increased access to finance, modern technology, skills development and markets to strengthen their businesses.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also announced the Government’s commitment to the establishment of a Women’s Bank to provide dedicated financial support to women entrepreneurs and businesses. She said the initiative was intended to improve women’s access to affordable and sustainable financing, enabling them to expand their businesses, invest in value addition and participate more effectively in sectors such as shea, agriculture, manufacturing and other areas of the economy. She noted that improved access to finance would be critical to empowering women to move from small-scale activities into commercially viable and competitive enterprises.

She further underscored the need to create opportunities for young people to participate actively in the industry through innovation, research, technology, digital marketing, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

The Vice President called for stronger collaboration between tertiary institutions, industry, government and the private sector to transform Ghana’s shea industry into a globally competitive value-added sector.

She said young people’s ideas, skills and innovation, together with research from institutions such as the University for Development Studies (UDS), were critical to addressing challenges confronting producers and processors and creating new opportunities across the shea value chain.

The Vice President’s participation in the Expo, according to stakeholders, demonstrated the importance attached to the shea sector and efforts to position it as an important component of Ghana’s agricultural and industrial transformation agenda.

Ahead of the opening ceremony, the Vice President participated in a symbolic shea tree planting activity at Futa in the Northern Region, where a demonstration farm has been established to promote the cultivation of grafted shea seedlings.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging the deliberate cultivation and regeneration of shea trees, with grafted seedlings capable of producing earlier than traditionally grown shea trees. The activity was also intended to draw attention to the need to protect Ghana’s shea parklands for future generations.

In his welcome remarks, the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Adolf Ali John, said the region was proud to host the World Shea Expo because it was at the heart of Ghana’s shea-producing belt and had generations of women whose livelihoods were closely linked to the commodity.

He welcomed the Vice President and other distinguished guests to Tamale on behalf of the chiefs and people of the Northern Region, saying the Vice President’s presence demonstrated the importance government attached to the shea industry and the economic empowerment of women and young people.

Hon. Ali Adolf John said the Vice President’s presence also sent a strong message to shea-producing communities that their work, enterprise and contribution to Ghana’s economy were recognised at the highest level of government.

He noted that women in the region had traditionally played a central role in collecting shea nuts, processing them into butter and other products, while increasingly participating in aggregation, marketing and export activities.

The Minister, however, observed that despite the enormous economic potential of shea, much more remained to be done to enable producers and processors to capture a greater share of the value created along the value chain.

He therefore called for a decisive shift from the export of largely raw commodities towards value addition, processing, product development, branding and access to international markets.

Hon. Adolf said the theme of the Expo spoke directly to the development aspirations of Northern Ghana, stressing that the shea sector could become a major source of decent employment for the youth if they were deliberately connected to finance, skills, technology, markets and business development services.

He urged stakeholders to create space for women and young people to introduce innovation, technology, digital marketing, modern packaging, research and entrepreneurship into the shea industry.

The Minister also called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, private-sector actors, financial institutions, development partners, researchers and industry players to unlock investment and expand opportunities throughout the shea value chain.

He expressed the hope that the discussions and engagements at the Expo would lead to practical interventions that would create jobs, increase incomes, attract investment and strengthen Ghana’s position in the global shea market.

Hon. Adolf commended the organisers, sponsors, development partners and other stakeholders for their commitment to making the World Shea Expo a growing platform for the development of the shea industry.

He said the Expo provided an important opportunity for Ghana to move beyond viewing shea as a traditional commodity and instead promote it as a source of locally manufactured, value-added and internationally competitive products.

He expressed confidence that the outcome of the three-day Expo would contribute to building a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable shea industry, while improving the livelihoods of producers and creating expanded economic opportunities for women and young people across the country.
Shea Network - Ghana

𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗚𝗪𝗬𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦

The Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf John, has called for strong stakeholder collaboration, transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion Programme (GWYESCO) to ensure that the initiative translates into tangible improvements in the lives of women and young people.

Hon. Ali Adolf John noted that the success of the programme should not be measured by the number of stakeholder meetings held, but by the number of lives transformed through skills development, job creation, entrepreneurship, access to finance and social cohesion interventions. He made the call when he delivered the welcome address at a Regional Stakeholders’ Engagement on GWYESCO held at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale on Monday, September 14, 2026.

The engagement brought together representatives of the Social Investment Fund (SIF), African Development Bank (AfDB), Ministry of Finance, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, security services, Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training Service, ARB Apex Bank, Regional Peace Council, traditional authorities, development partners, Civil Society Organisations and private sector organisations.

Welcoming participants on behalf of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) and the people of the Northern Region, the Minister expressed appreciation to the AfDB for supporting the programme, as well as the Ministry of Finance and SIF for engaging stakeholders at the regional level. He emphasised that GWYESCO’s success would depend on the extent to which stakeholders at the national, regional, district and community levels understood the programme, took ownership of it and worked collectively to achieve its objectives.

The overall objective of GWYESCO, he noted, was to enhance the resilience and living conditions of women and youth through economic inclusion, job creation, entrepreneurship, access to finance, skills development and social cohesion.

The programme is structured around three major result areas: addressing unemployment, poverty, inequality, conflict and climate vulnerability; improving access to finance, business development services and skills for women- and youth-owned Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); and strengthening institutional capacity, systems and policy implementation.

The Minister described Ghana’s youth as one of the country’s greatest assets, citing their energy, creativity, technological capacity and entrepreneurial potential. However, inadequate access to decent employment, skills development and enterprise opportunities, he cautioned, could create vulnerabilities that affect households, communities and the wider economy.

He also highlighted the critical contribution of women to household welfare, agriculture, commerce, enterprise and community development, noting that many continued to face barriers to finance, markets, technology, skills and participation in economic decision-making. He therefore welcomed the decision to place women and youth at the centre of GWYESCO.

Hon. Adolf, however, cautioned that training should not be considered an end in itself and urged TVET institutions, private sector actors and training providers to ensure that skills development responded to actual market demands and equipped beneficiaries to create value, secure decent employment and build sustainable enterprises.

On social cohesion, the Minister described the component as particularly significant for Northern Ghana, where economic exclusion, unemployment, poverty, climate vulnerability and social tensions could reinforce one another and undermine development. He welcomed the incorporation of peacebuilding, social cohesion and climate change into the programme, alongside efforts to strengthen local governance institutions to address conflict, violence, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and other drivers of fragility.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and Programme Coordinator of GWYESCO, Lawyer Abass Nurideen, disclosed that SIF had been entrusted with the strategic responsibility of serving as the Programme Implementation and Coordinating Unit (PCIU), with the Ministry of Finance serving as the Executing Agency.

He explained that SIF, established in 1998 by the Government of Ghana, the AfDB and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had over the years built strong institutional experience in translating national development priorities and development-partner investments into programmes that reached communities and vulnerable populations.

Lawyer Nurideen said SIF would coordinate implementation, consolidate results, monitor and evaluate programme performance and work closely with implementing institutions to ensure that resources committed to GWYESCO produced measurable results for Ghanaian women, youth, enterprises and communities.

Describing GWYESCO as more than just another development project, the Programme Coordinator said it represented a national investment in people, opportunity, resilience and peace, aimed at ensuring that Ghana’s growing population of young people and women became an engine of economic transformation rather than a source of vulnerability.

The four-year programme will run from 2026 to 2029 across seven regions: Northern, North-East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Central and Eastern. The principal beneficiaries will be young women and men aged 18 to 35 years and women aged 36 years and above, while strategic public institutions will also benefit from capacity strengthening.

Lawyer Nurideen, said the first pillar of the programme would focus on market demand-driven training, with targets including the creation of at least 22,000 direct jobs and more than 6,000 indirect jobs, the construction and equipping of at least eight TVET centres, the provision of STEM, digital and creative industry skills to 28,000 women and youth, as well as agribusiness and rural entrepreneurship training for 5,000 beneficiaries.

He explained that the training would cover areas such as electrical works, tiling, fashion and design, tailoring, building, electronics, hospitality, coding, digital technologies and creative industries, alongside agriculture, livestock, fisheries, poultry, beekeeping, agro-processing and other rural enterprises.

On the second pillar, Lawyer Nurideen indicated that GWYESCO would provide access to finance and non-financial services for women- and youth-owned MSMEs. The programme would support 10,000 MSMEs, establish a US$15 million financing facility, facilitate access to finance for at least 8,000 MSMEs and establish 100 business-to-business linkages between MSMEs and larger enterprises, aggregators and bulk buyers.

The third pillar will strengthen institutional and community capacity to deliver sustainable economic, social and peace-building outcomes by addressing conflict, violence, fragility and social exclusion, particularly in Northern Ghana.

Key implementing partners will include the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), formerly NAELP, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), GRATIS Foundation, Northern Development Authority (NDA), District Assemblies and other relevant institutions.

Under the implementation arrangements, NEIP will contribute entrepreneurship and business development support, YEA will provide modular training for wage employment, while rCOMSDEP, GRATIS Foundation and SIF will contribute to agribusiness and related skills development. SIF and selected financial institutions, including GCB Bank, CBG and Apex Bank, will facilitate access to business finance.

Lawyer Nurideen called for a united effort among Government institutions, traditional authorities, security agencies, professional associations, private sector actors, financial institutions, Civil Society Organisations, women and youth groups to turn skills into jobs, businesses into employers, opportunity into prosperity and prosperity into peace.

He expressed appreciation to the Government of Ghana, the AfDB and the Ministry of Finance for their support and assured stakeholders that SIF was committed to ensuring that GWYESCO delivered measurable and lasting improvements in the lives of Ghanaian women, youth, enterprises and communities.

𝗡𝗥𝗖𝗖, 𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗬𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗢𝗠 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗫

The Africa Centre for Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment (ACEYE), in collaboration with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), has held a dissemination meeting on the findings and recommendations of the 2026 Regional Entrepreneurship Freedom (REF) Index Report.

The meeting, held on Friday, 11 September 2026, at the Conference Hall of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council in Tamale, brought together heads of departments and other relevant stakeholders to examine the state of entrepreneurship in the Northern Region and discuss practical measures to improve the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The engagement focused on key issues identified in the report, including challenges, opportunities, policies, institutional conditions, barriers to entrepreneurship, and the way forward. It was also intended to provide a platform for stakeholders to collectively reflect on the factors influencing the ability of individuals and businesses, particularly women and young people, to establish, operate and grow sustainable enterprises.

In his opening remarks, the Acting Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, welcomed participants to the meeting and underscored the importance of entrepreneurship to economic development.

He noted that entrepreneurship remains a critical driver of economic growth, job creation, innovation and improved livelihoods, stressing the need for stakeholders to pay serious attention to the conditions that enable businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive.

Mr. Abudu urged participants to actively engage in the discussions and contribute their experiences, observations and recommendations to ensure that the meeting produced meaningful and practical outcomes.

He emphasised that the findings of the REF Index should not only serve as a basis for discussion but should also inform efforts aimed at strengthening the business environment and creating an enabling ecosystem for entrepreneurs across the Northern Region.

A representative of ACEYE, Mr. Emmanuel Acquah, subsequently presented the findings and recommendations of the 2026 Regional Entrepreneurship Freedom Index Report, providing participants with important insights into the entrepreneurship ecosystem of the Northern Region.

The presentation highlighted the opportunities available within the region while drawing attention to challenges, policy gaps, institutional conditions and other barriers that affect the capacity of individuals and businesses to establish, operate and expand sustainable enterprises.

Particular attention was given to the circumstances of women and young people, who constitute an important segment of the region's current and potential entrepreneurial population.

The presentation provided stakeholders with an opportunity to better understand the factors shaping entrepreneurial activities in the region and the areas requiring concerted intervention to create a more supportive environment for businesses.

According to the REF Index, the Northern Region scored 4.29 out of 10 in 2024, ranking 15th, but declined to 2.79 in 2026, placing 16th among Ghana’s 16 regions.

The 2026 REF Index provides updated insights into the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, highlighting areas of progress, emerging opportunities and key challenges affecting private-sector growth.

The findings are expected to provide useful evidence for regional planning, business-environment improvements, entrepreneurship development, investment promotion and employment creation.

The report therefore provides an important basis for stakeholders to assess existing interventions, identify areas requiring improvement and develop strategies that can make the Northern Region more conducive to entrepreneurship and private-sector development.

Following the presentation, participants engaged in extensive discussions and deliberations on the key issues highlighted in the report. The discussions focused on challenges affecting the region’s entrepreneurial environment, including high utility bills and multiple taxation, while participants shared perspectives and proposed measures to create a more conducive environment for businesses and entrepreneurship to thrive.

The discussions provided an opportunity for participants to examine the effectiveness of existing policies and institutional arrangements while identifying barriers that continue to constrain entrepreneurs and businesses.

Participants also considered the need for stronger collaboration among relevant institutions and stakeholders to address identified challenges and create better opportunities for entrepreneurs, particularly women and young people.

The engagement further emphasised the importance of translating the findings and recommendations of the REF Index into practical actions that can contribute to improving the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The dissemination meeting underscored the need for sustained stakeholder engagement, evidence-based planning and coordinated interventions to address barriers to entrepreneurship in the Northern Region.

The findings of the 2026 REF Index are expected to serve as an important reference for policymakers, institutions and development stakeholders in their efforts to improve the business environment, promote entrepreneurship, attract investment and create sustainable employment opportunities.

The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of collaboration between the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, ACEYE, government institutions and other relevant stakeholders in building an enabling environment where businesses can establish, grow and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the Northern Region.

The engagement therefore marks an important step towards strengthening the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and ensuring that the challenges identified are matched with practical and sustainable solutions.