Chief Director at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) has charged journalists to be bold and dutiful in bringing to bare all lapses and ills in the country’s water management and sanitation service delivery systems.
Mr. Noah Tumfo said objective criticisms and feedback from well informed sanitation journalists is key to solving the country’s huge water and sanitation challenges.
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The Chief Director challenged water and sanitation journalists and media practitioners at the ongoing GAMA/ GKMA Media Partners Meeting/ Engagement and Training Workshop at the Aqua Safari resort at Ada in the Greater Accra region.
Mr. Noah Tumfo in his keynote address explained that though the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources is much committed to the sanitation and water needs of the citizenry, yet critical reporting on the subject by professional journalists will add more value to the efforts of the ministry.
“We rely on you heavily to continue to help us in the behavioral change towards sustainable national sanitation”.
He pointed out that with just eight years to hit the deadline of achieving the SDG Six, Ghana needs a collective effort from all sector actors and stakeholders, especially journalists to achieve nationwide sustainable access to basic sanitation and clean water supply.
He urged media practitioners to continue bringing out ills and lapses in the national sanitation service delivery, while advocating and educating the public on the need for household toilets
“This is the time to bring out all that you found, and we are prepared to listen and together chat a path that will make GAMA project and sanitation in Ghana take its rightful course”, Mr. Tumfo emphasized.
He noted that the country over the past years has not done so well in ending open defecation.
The Chief Director however, commended the media for complimenting efforts of the Ministry and allied agencies in working to reduce open defecation rate in the country by advocating for household toilets.
Mr. Noah Tumfo expressed hope that with the extension of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation Project to eight MMDAs in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) in the Ashanti region, open defecation in the country will significantly be reduced.
