By: Gloria Edinam Atiase
The paramount Chief of Anfoega Traditional Area, Togbe Tepre Hodo has called for the inclusion of traditional leaders in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH issues in the country.
According to him, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene are key areas of human survival and must be given all the attention it deserves. Togbe Hodo made these pronouncements while speaking at the opening of this year’s MOLE 35 conference in Ho in the Volta Region.
The four-day conference is organized by the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation, CONIWAS, with support from the Ministry of Sanitation, UNICEF, and the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project, among others.
During his speech, Togbe Hodo noted that the conference can help to a large extent resolve the devastation of the environment adding that if everyone is involved, the country can make a head way. Togbe Hodo called on Ghanaians to do away with partisan talks when issues of illegal mining are raised because it affects everyone and not just individuals. He urged Ghanaians to unite as a nation and fight the canker.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, said the attainment of the SDGs will help solve some critical problems. He noted that the Region has made strides in implementing SDG six by providing access to water, and sanitation facilities. He said achieving the SDG six requires the participation of all sectors of the society and urged all to get involved to ensure clean water and sanitation.
The Child Sanitation Ambassador, Abdul Yazid Faraj Wumbei, said though the government and civil society organizations are involved in finding lasting solutions to sanitation challenges facing the country, there is still more to be done. He indicated that in spite of all the efforts and achievements in sanitation so far, the country yearn for better approaches and better solutions that will get it closer to where it want to be much faster.
Master Wumbei emphasized that Ghanaian children look up to the older generation to guarantee a future where cleanliness of the country can be compared with countries in Europe, America, and other admirable parts of the world.
He said the cleanliness that Ghanaians so much admire in these countries were planned, implemented, and achieved by the people of those countries themselves. Master Wumbei therefore urged authorities concerned to lead the country to get closer to the developed countries so that the future generation can also continue to complete the journey. The Mole 35 conference is on the theme, ” Looking back to the SDG six implementation in Ghana: progress, challenges and the way forward”.
