By: Rachel Kakraba
UNICEF-Ghana says a loan scheme which it is currently piloting has seen about 2,500 poor and low income households receive affordable toilet facilities, thereby improving the lives of citizens. Under the scheme known as the Revolving Loan Scheme beneficiary households pay for the facility on a low interest rate installment basis, which takes away the financial burden of one time payment.
Chief of WASH, UNICEF-Ghana, Ramesh Bhusal, who made this known during a media engagement in Accra, called for strategic partnership from the government to scale up the project to benefit more Ghanaian households.
“There is a revolving loan scheme that can provide low interest affordable loan to household”
He described as worrying, investment of about 150 million dollars annually in public toilet facilities which he said does not bring value for money, as it does not provide the required benefit and protection.
He added “we want to work together with the government and partners to scale up, so that poor or low income households have the opportunity to take out loans and improve their sanitation instead of wasting that money on public toilets, which is not doing good”
Mr. Ramesh said with the right partnership and investment the Revolving Loan Scheme could be expanded to ensure safe water connectivity to households.
“For those households who use sachet water, they spend a lot of money, that money can be paid to get the household water connection”
Wash Specialist UNICEF Ghana, Samuel Amoako-Mensah, said ensuring water quality calls for concerted efforts from all stakeholders and called for attitudinal change among Ghanaians.
He said the Ghana Water Company Limited also needs relevant investment to deliver on its mandates.
