An estimated 4.2 million Ghanaians still either find it difficult to access or live without safe drinking water, the Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) in Ghana has observed.
Mr Yaw Atta Arhin has also revealed that additional 22 million more lack access to basic sanitation and proper hand washing facilities.
Yaw Atta Arhin made the disclosure when addressing the 2021 Mole Conference in Ghana’s second largest city and traditional capital of the Ashanti Kingdom.
According to the leader of the coalition, investing in Ghana’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector is much necessary now than ever if the country wants to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal Six of universal access to clean water and improved sanitation for all by the year 2030.
He said there is no regret in investing in WASH since its social and economic impacts on all productive sectors of human lives cannot be measured.
The chairman regretted that inadequate investment in the water and sanitation sector especially in rural communities has resulted in widening gap between urban dwellers and rural folks.
The coalition observed that the outbreak of the COVID-19 has shown the significance of accessible and quality water and sanitation in the daily lives of citizens and consequences of the huge deficits that that exist in the country and the need to address the challenge without delay.
He stressed that Ghana as a nation needs to build more resilient approaches in addressing issues of water and sanitation in the country.
Though the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation in the country acknowledge the partnership between the state and certain private sector industry players in water, sanitation and hygiene, yet argued that more needs to be done.
Yaw Arhin challenged the government and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to be more proactive in the effort of ensuring improved proper sanitation and hygiene as well as easy access to safe drinking water for all Ghanaians if the country indeed is committed to meeting the sustainable development goal of before the 2030.
The Mole Conference is an annual Civil Society multi-stakeholder platform for actor to dialogue and make policy change recommendations for sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene. The annual gathering is an initiative of the Coalition of NGOs in Water Sanitation and Hygiene and has been in existence over the past thirty-one years.
