Localising Sustainable Development Goals through Participatory Community Radio in Ghana

Africanus Lewil Diedong; Lawrence Naaikuur

Africanus Lewil Diedong Department of Communication Studies, SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Ghana
Lawrence Naaikuur Department of Communication Studies, SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Ghana

Keywords: SDGs, community development, participatory communication, responsiveness, Ghana

Abstract

There seems to be little knowledge and awareness of the relevance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among communities in Ghana. The study’s main objective was to find out how the 22-member Community Radio (CR) stations of the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN) – the umbrella organisation of community radio in Ghana, mobilise their communities to tackle development needs and aspirations within the framework of the SDG 1 to 6. The study employed a qualitative research design. Specifically, a case study approach was adopted. CR stations’ mission is to promote community development in a participatory manner. The expectation is that CR stations would facilitate efforts to tackle development needs and aspirations of communities within the framework of the SDGs. The study found out that even though the application of the participatory communication methodology is central to the work of CR stations, particularly increasing community members’ awareness and understanding of the broad meanings of particularly SDG goals 1 to 6, they were unable to sustainably employ the methodology because of resource constraints. The implication is that CR stations need to devise innovative ways of raising resources to enable community members actively participate in radio programmes.