By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Ghana’s Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, has reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to working with the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) to address the sanitation and hygiene challenges confronting Ghana.
According to him, the commitment is part of the government’s broader efforts to achieve universal access to WASH services for all Ghanaians.
The Minister said this when he addressed the National Executives and some members of the coalition who paid a courtesy call on him to discuss issues affecting sanitation and hygiene services delivery.
“We are aware of the great job you have been doing as a coalition, and I assure you of the ministry’s maximum cooperation in working together to address the insanitary conditions Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are faced with.
The Minister used the occasion to announce the reintroduction of the National Sanitation Clean-up initiative with the introduction of a National Sanitation league.
The Executive Secretary of CONIWAS, Basilia Nanbigne, during her introductory remarks, emphasized the need for a stronger collaboration between the ministry, development partners, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and NGOs for an effective and sustainable WASH service delivery across all the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Madam Nanbigne also appealed for stronger regulations to safeguard WASH services, particularly in rural areas, stressing the importance of improving enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with WASH regulations.
Another key issue that was featured regularly during the discussions was the issue of funding. The coalition has for some time now been calling for increased funding allocations for WASH services, including a commitment from the government to allocate 0.5% of GDP.
These efforts demonstrate CONIWAS’s commitment to promoting sustainable WASH services in Ghana.
The Executive Secretary of CONIWAS used the opportunity to congratulate the minister for his appointment and a successful vetting and subsequent approval by Parliament.
In June 2023, CONIWAS acknowledged the government’s commitment to a Presidential Compact aimed at making WASH services accessible to all Ghanaians.
The compact seeks to enhance political prioritization and commitment, link policies to plans and projects, improve investments, strengthen ownership and leadership, and achieve good governance and accountability.
It’s a significant step towards addressing Ghana’s WASH challenges, and the minister’s reaffirmation of commitment is a welcome development.
CONIWAS has been working closely with the government and other stakeholders to promote sustainable WASH investments and practices across Ghana.
The organization has also been advocating for stronger regulations to safeguard WASH services and ensure that they are accessible to all.
