By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Feb 22, GNA – Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the Northern Region have participated in a day’s consultative forum to assess the impact of the recent US Government stop work order to strategize on resource mobilization for sustainable development.
The forum, held in Tamale, provided a platform for community voices, showcasing their resilience and innovative responses to the funding halt on United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects in Ghana.
The event, titled “CSO Convening on the Impacts of the US Government Stop Work Order,” was organized by Norsaac and brought together representatives from various CSOs and NGOs, including the Catholic Relief Services, Ghana Developing Communities Association, SEND Ghana, Songtaba, Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), and Regional Advisory Information and Network Systems (RAINS), among others.
The theme for the event was “Community Voices on US Government Stop Work Order: The Effects, New Pathways, and Opportunities.”
The US Government issued the stop work order on USAID projects on January 20, 2025, as part of a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance for review and assessment, aimed at ensuring alignment with American interests.
Alhaji Mohammed Awal Alhassan, Executive Director of Norsaac, explained during his presentation that the convening was intended to raise awareness among key actors, emphasizing that understanding the situation was crucial for developing a comprehensive response and exploring alternative funding mechanisms.
He stressed the importance of building solidarity among Ghanaian CSOs and leveraging the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda to diversify funding initiatives, and called on the government to allocate a percentage of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to support development cooperation.
Alhaji Hamza Ahmed Tijani, Anglophone Africa Programme Lead at the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law, delivered the keynote address, and said the funding suspension underscored the need to build robust local systems.
He advocated investment in community-based solutions to foster resilience and ensure the continuity of essential services amid global funding uncertainties.
Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, shared her experience on the impact of the stop work order, and revealed that some agricultural projects had been suspended, exacerbating vulnerabilities in communities, especially for women and children.
Participants at the forum agreed on the need for enhanced policy advocacy to push for increased government resource allocation to social services, emphasizing local ownership and sustainable development pathways.
GNA