Rapid urban expansion in Ghana is impacting the environmental liveability and sustainability of the region. Measures to protect urban residents from emergencies and natural disasters are not keeping pace with this growth. Environmental risks such as floods and extreme heat have the potential to affect citizens’ livelihoods and health, damage infrastructure, and disrupt critical services. To respond to these risks, public authorities and other stakeholders must be better trained in risk management within an urban environment context.

Urban resilience training and disaster risk management (DRM) training are particularly important in cities such as Accra, where recent floods and fires have had devastating impacts. Training that uses a participatory approach enables trainees to propose customised solutions for the risks they identify in their own jurisdiction. This type of training provides knowledge that trainees can bring back to their municipalities for the practical implementation of good risk management practices.