Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, has charged Community Facilitators under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project (SOCO) to ensure that beneficiary communities have a decisive voice in development interventions implemented in their areas.
He said SOCO investments could only achieve lasting impact when communities understood, participated in and ultimately took ownership of the projects being implemented for their benefit.
The Minister made the call on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, when he addressed a training programme for SOCO Community Facilitators at the Golden Tower near the University for Development Studies (UDS) Main Campus in Tamale.
He said the Community-Driven Development approach adopted by the SOCO Project required facilitators to go beyond simply informing communities about projects and instead ensure that the actual needs and priorities of residents were captured in the development process.
“Listen to the people, understand their concerns and ensure that their priorities are properly reflected,” the Minister urged the facilitators.
He described the facilitators as a critical link between SOCO, local authorities and beneficiary communities, stressing that their effectiveness would determine the extent to which communities participated in and embraced the interventions.
Under the project, the facilitators are expected to engage traditional authorities, women, young people, persons with disabilities and other community members to ensure that development decisions are not dominated by a few voices.
Ali Adolf John particularly urged the facilitators to deliberately create space for women, young people and vulnerable groups whose concerns could sometimes be overlooked in community decision-making.
He also cautioned them against spreading inaccurate information about the project, directing them to provide communities with clear and reliable information and seek clarification from project officials or the relevant Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly authorities whenever they were uncertain about an issue.
Jobs and development
The Minister said the recruitment of Community Facilitators from beneficiary communities was also providing residents with an opportunity to earn an income while contributing directly to the development of their communities.
He encouraged the facilitators to treat the opportunity as more than temporary employment, urging them to use the experience to develop skills in community engagement, communication, local development and digital tools.
He further advised them to save part of their earnings and invest in productive ventures that could improve their livelihoods beyond the duration of the project.
The Government, in partnership with the World Bank, is investing resources through the SOCO Project in infrastructure, livelihoods and other interventions intended to improve conditions in beneficiary communities.
But the Regional Minister stressed that the success of those investments would depend largely on how well communities were engaged.
He therefore urged the facilitators to work closely with local assemblies, traditional authorities, SOCO officials and community members to ensure that the project’s intended benefits reached the people.
He said facilitators must conduct themselves with patience, fairness and professionalism in order to build trust and confidence among beneficiaries.
“The money invested in these communities can only produce sustainable results when the people themselves understand the interventions, participate in them and take ownership of them,” he stressed.
Ali Adolf John expressed confidence that the training would equip the facilitators with the knowledge and skills required to effectively support SOCO’s social cohesion and development objectives.
He urged them to approach their assignments with commitment, stressing that their grassroots engagement could determine whether SOCO investments translate into lasting improvements in beneficiary communities.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
