Stakeholders in WASH Sector tasked to prioritize achieving reviewed 2010 Sanitation policy

Dr Bertha Darteh a member of the Consulting team from TREND – ECOPSIS supporting the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources on the Environmental Sanitation Review 2010 has urged stakeholders in the Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) Sector to contribute towards achieving the goals of Environmental Sanitation policy 2010 review.

According to her, though the policy had gained some achievements including construction of toilet facilities, and treatment plants among others in the country, there is more to be done because of increase in population and waste.

She urged all stakeholders in the WASH sector to contribute to make the new policy a reality, adding that strengthening the institutions that deliver sanitation, they consider the capacity at the national level, coordination, behavioral change, infrastructure, funding and financing, data and research and innovation as the goals of the policy thrust.

These she said are the main areas that they have agreed with stakeholders should consider in revising the 2010 policy into a new policy document.

According to her, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources is working with stakeholders in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector to review the Environmental Sanitation Policy 2010 to make it more robust.

She disclosed that the idea is for stakeholders to look at the achievement and short falls of the 2010 policy and suggest what could be incorporated into the new policy for a better sanitation services delivery in the country.

Dr Darteh made the recommendation at the 35th Mole conference in Ho, observed that the idea is to identify the gaps in the 2010 policy and based on the gaps identified, come up with a number of policy directions to inform the new policy on how to better manage Sanitation Hygiene.

She  explained that seven policy thrust have been identified under the new policy, and that the new policy has seven policy thrust which includes sanitation for all, sanitation as a service, ensuring that there are financially sustainable services which means they recover cost, and also want to have resilience sanitation which means that our sanitation facilities will be resilient to effects of climate change will also not contribute too much to greenhouse but also when there is an emergency need to respond in sanitation services.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com/ Ernest Best Anane, Ho