The UNICEF Ghana Country Representative, Mr. Andrew Brooks, on Friday, 2 October 2026, engaged stakeholders of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) at the Northern Regional Ministerβs Office in Tamale as part of efforts to gain a deeper understanding of the situation of children and women in the Northern Region and identify areas requiring strengthened interventions.
The engagement formed part of Mr. Brooksβ first visit to the Northern Region and provided an opportunity for UNICEF and the Regional Coordinating Council to exchange information on the development challenges affecting women and children, as well as explore areas for stronger collaboration to improve their wellbeing and development outcomes.
The Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, warmly welcomed Mr. Andrew Brooks and his delegation to the Region. He expressed appreciation to UNICEF for its continued contribution to the development of the Northern Region, particularly its support for programmes and interventions aimed at improving the wellbeing and protection of children and vulnerable groups.
Mr. Abudu acknowledged the importance of partnerships between government institutions and development organisations such as UNICEF, stressing that sustained collaboration remained critical to addressing the challenges confronting women and children and ensuring that development interventions responded effectively to the needs of communities.
The Chief Development Planning Officer of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Habib Shahadu, on behalf of the Council, presented a comprehensive briefing on the situation of women and children in the Northern Region to the UNICEF Ghana Country Representative and his team.
The briefing highlighted key issues affecting the wellbeing, development and protection of women and children in the Region and provided an opportunity for UNICEF and the NRCC to review the prevailing situation, identify critical areas requiring early attention and explore possible interventions to address the challenges.
Alhaji Shahadu noted that a clear understanding of the situation of women and children was essential to effective planning and the prioritisation of interventions. He therefore emphasised the importance of using available evidence and development information to guide decision-making and ensure that interventions were targeted at areas where they could have the greatest impact.
The Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf John, expressed gratitude to Mr. Andrew Brooks and the UNICEF team for visiting the Region and engaging with the Regional Coordinating Council. He described the engagement as an important opportunity to deepen understanding of the challenges facing women and children and to strengthen cooperation among institutions working to improve their wellbeing.
The Minister assured the UNICEF Country Representative of the commitment of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council to strengthening the existing partnership with UNICEF. He emphasised the importance of continued collaboration, coordination and information sharing among stakeholders in addressing development challenges affecting children and women across the Region.
Hon. Ali Adolf John further noted that the Regional Coordinating Council remained committed to working with development partners and other stakeholders to advance interventions that would contribute to improved social and economic outcomes for children and women, particularly those in vulnerable communities.
The UNICEF Ghana Country Representative, Mr. Andrew Brooks, expressed appreciation to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council for the warm reception accorded him and his delegation during his first visit to the Northern Region.
Mr. Brooks also expressed gratitude for the comprehensive briefing provided by the Regional Coordinating Council on the situation of women and children in the Region. He said the information shared during the engagement would help UNICEF better understand the realities on the ground and identify areas where collaboration and support could be strengthened.
He urged stakeholders to continue strengthening collaboration and coordination among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and other relevant actors to address the challenges affecting women and children.
Mr. Brooks stressed the importance of collective efforts in advancing interventions aimed at improving the wellbeing, protection and development of children, noting that effective partnerships were essential to achieving shared objectives and ensuring that children received the support and opportunities needed to thrive.
The engagement concluded with a shared commitment by the Northern Regional Coordinating Council and UNICEF Ghana to sustain dialogue, strengthen collaboration and explore practical areas of partnership aimed at improving the wellbeing of women and children in the Northern Region.
The meeting therefore reaffirmed the importance of coordinated efforts between the Regional Coordinating Council and development partners in supporting inclusive development and ensuring that the needs and rights of women and children remained central to development planning and interventions in the Northern Region.