Report by: Ben LARYEA
As part of the effort to achieve sustainable and reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services across the country, Water Aid Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has launched its country program strategy 2023 – 2028 in Accra.
The five-year strategy seeks to serve millions of people in the country on sustainable, safe, and inclusive WASH services primarily in 10 districts particularly Bongo District and others in the Upper West and Upper East Regions.
Consequently, the strategy will focus also on WASH activities in the health sector as well as scale up same on climate change to achieve universal, sustainable, and access to all WASH-related issues.
Addressing stakeholders during the launch, the Country Director of Water Aid Ghana, Ewurabena Yanyi-Akofui urged stakeholders in the WASH value chain to network as well as engage government to enhance WASH activities to the citizenry.
According to her, Water Aid have made fervent preparation in collaboration with its partners to raise close to £12 million over the 5 year period to assist Ghana to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in water, sanitation and hygiene.
She explained that the 5 year strategy will help build capacities of local authorities to expand and deliver WASH activities and services in the country adding that it took indepth consultations and research with stakeholders and partners to roll out the 5 year strategy.
“Water Aid’s vision for the WASH sector is to ensure that the citizenry have access to clean portable water and all other related WASH services”, she added.
In an address, the Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mr. Amidu Chinnia commended WaterAid for its continuous of WASH activities in the country and the inputs made in the 5 year strategy programme saying it will help address and build capacities for WASH programmes and services.
He however challenged stakeholders and partners to collectively work together to sustain the provision of WASH for everyone as part of the effort to fulfil the vision in the new project document.
He said it is worrying to observe that a significant portion of the population does not have access to WASH services and pointed out that it is a basic human right which brings to bear good and sound health for people.
The Water Aid Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Tim Wainright in a video message urged stakeholders in the WASH sector to work assiduously to achieve universal access to WASH services.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com