Two Ghanaians receive funds for flood project after winning global award
Nine individuals and institutions from seven countries have received a total of £600,000 to undertake various development projects in their respective countries.
Among the recipients are two Ghanaians who received £138,000 to start a climate smart integrated flood management programme in the country.
The other recipients are from Kenya, Mozambique, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines and Uganda.
They were selected after they took part in a Global Innovation Competition (GIC), a grand challenge for development organised by Making All Voices Count, a civil society organisation.
At the awards ceremony, the Programme Director of Making All Voices Count, Dr Fletcher Tembo, said approximately 370 applications were received, with 15 finalists shortlisted for the main competition.
“This year, we received a diverse range of ideas submitted by individuals, civil society groups and the private sector. After three rounds of assessment and over 30,000 public votes, our finalists were selected,” he explained.
Dr Tembo said the winners were picked after they had presented their innovative programmes to a five-member jury that went through a series of analysis.
He said the competition was an annual search for innovative and inspirational ideas that addressed issues of governance, inclusion and accountability.
Innovation
The Minister of Communications, Dr Edward Omane-Boamah, commended the winners for their vision to change their communities through innovation.
He said for the continent of Africa to attain greater heights, there was the need for individuals and organisations to think of ways to support their communities to rise above the problems that hindered the well-being of the people.
He said more development could be achieved if the global community focused on introducing “life-changing” innovations that could benefit the people.
On behalf of the award winners, a senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS) , Dr Raymond Dasei, said the climate project sought to focus on a long-term data-gathering plan on dealing with floods.
According to him, the team would work with city planners, including the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), on the best way forward in addressing climate change.