By: Abraham Donkor
The Government of Ghana has reiterated its unwavering commitment to ensuring sustainable and equitable access to safe water for all citizens.
Speaking at the 15th annual Beyond the Pipe Forum in Accra, the Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Madam Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to tackle Ghana’s water challenges and drive scalable solutions. She called for the private sector players to collaborate with the government in the provision of Safe Water to Ghanaians,
“We recognize that expanding water access requires strong partnerships between government, private sector players, and organizations like Safe Water Network. This forum is a vital platform for fostering such collaboration and developing practical, scalable solutions,” she stated.
Madam Tetteh-Agbotui commended Safe Water Network, Ghana’s third-largest water utility, for its remarkable efforts in extending safe water services to over 500,000 people across 158 communities. She explained that the initiatives being implemented by Safe Water Network align with the government’s broader water strategy, and expressed the government’s commitment to supporting innovative models that enhance water accessibility for all Ghanaians.
Mr. Charles Nimako, the Country Director of Safe Water Network, highlighted the significant progress made in expanding access to safe water in Ghana.
He revealed that Safe Water Network, in collaboration with other implementers in the Safe Water Enterprise Alliance, has provided safe and affordable water to more than two million Ghanaians. While acknowledging this remarkable achievement, he emphasized that it is not the finish line but rather a catalyst for continued innovation, implementation, learning, and knowledge sharing to further improve water accessibility.
“At Safe Water Network, we believe that practice should inform policy—and the Beyond the Pipe Forum has always been the bedrock of our implementation work. The insights, dialogues, and ideas shared here every year shape the way we approach service delivery in the field, inform how we adapt our enterprise model, and guide our partnerships with government and non-state actors,” he stated.
Themed “Innovating for Sustainable Safe Water Access,” this year’s forum provided an opportunity to discuss emerging trends, including digital transformation, financial sustainability, and cutting-edge technologies in water service delivery.
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Safe Water Network Virtual Reality Experience, which provided participants with an immersive perspective on the real-life impact of water scarcity and the transformative effects of sustainable water solutions. This initiative is part of the Waves of Change campaign, aimed at raising awareness, increasing engagement, and mobilizing resources to scale up water access interventions.
The 2025 forum featured distinguished speakers, including Chris Williams, CEO of Safe Water Network, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, Acting Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission, Ekow Archer, CEO of Cleanearth Scientific, and Prof. Lydia Mosi from the University of Ghana.
