UN Resident Coordinator Visits Nima-Mamobi to Listen to Community Priorities and Solutions

Last week, a team from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, led by Resident Coordinator Mr Zia Choudhury, spent an afternoon engaging with members and leaders of the Nima-Mamobi community.

Known for its vibrant street life and bustling market, Nima-Mamobi is a historic twin urban community in Accra and home to one of Ghana’s oldest and largest Zongo communities. The area’s rich ethnic and religious diversity is reflected in the wide variety of goods sold at the popular Nima Market.

Beginning in the nearby neighbourhood of Kanda, the team walked through Nima and Mamobi to gain first-hand insight into the communities and their physical environment. The visit provided an opportunity to listen to residents, better understand local priorities and ensure that the UN’s work in Ghana remains responsive to the needs of the people it serves while supporting national development objectives.

During the engagement, Mr Choudhury highlighted the importance of strengthening the link between the UN’s support for Ghana’s development priorities and the communities it seeks to benefit. He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to maintaining regular dialogue with communities and ensuring their perspectives inform initiatives and discussions that affect their lives.

Residents identified several pressing concerns, including poor sanitation, flooding and limited employment opportunities, particularly for young people. They described challenges related to inadequate waste disposal, blocked drains and the impact of unsanitary conditions on everyday life, offering valuable insights into areas where greater action and collaboration may be needed.

Community leaders also highlighted efforts to improve environmental cleanliness while creating livelihoods through the collection of plastic and rubber waste for recycling and upcycling by private-sector partners. These initiatives demonstrate the vital role communities play in developing and implementing local solutions to shared challenges.

According to Mr Choudhury, sustained engagement with communities such as Nima-Mamobi is essential to ensuring that development efforts remain inclusive, responsive and grounded in the realities of the people they are intended to serve.