Ghana has made major strides in providing water and sanitation to the population – Vice President Bawumia

It has been discovered that Ghana has made very considerable progress in the past six years in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), guaranteeing better access for millions of Ghanaians to safe drinking water and restroom facilities.

According to the Ghana Statistical Service’s 2021 Population and Housing Census, from 33% to 59.3% more households now have access to toilet facilities than they had in 2010.
From 79% in 2018 to 87.7% in 2021, the proportion of families with access to basic drinking water has significantly increased.

“These improvements have resulted in very significant gains. For instance, not a single case of cholera has been recorded in the past six years”, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president, made the announcement on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 in Accra.

The Vice President stated that the government has demonstrated its commitment to addressing Ghanaians’ needs for water and sanitation while achieving the Sustainable Development Goals while speaking at the opening ceremony of the “All Systems Go Forum” organized by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (SDGs).

“As the Co-Chair of the Sustainable Development Goals, His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has demonstrated adequate commitment to ensuring that Ghana meets the 2030 Agenda for the SDGs, with equal emphasis on SDG 6, within the stipulated time

“This is reflected in the many projects being undertaken in the WASH Sector, some of which are already completed and commissioned, whilst processes are ongoing for the others.

“Some of the projects are: Upper East Water Supply Project; Yendi Water Supply Project; Tamale Water Supply Project; Damongo Water Supply Project; Wenchi Water Supply Project; Sunyani Water Supply Project; Keta Water Supply Project; Sekondi-Takoradi Water Supply Project; and additional financing for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA)/Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area Water and Sanitation Project.”

According to Dr. Bawumia, the water subsector initiatives are anticipated to increase the number of beneficiaries who have access to potable water by 4.3 million.
The Vice President praised the Symposium’s organizers and partners, IRC, UNICEF, and the Conrad Hilton Foundation, for the program, noting that its creation and administration are convincing evidence that African WASH Experts are conscious of their obligations.

This Symposium is taking place at a key juncture in our development, as Africa’s population continues to grow, creating a significant demand for WASH-related services despite the fact that these services have not kept up with the population growth.

“There is, therefore, the urgent need for action to strengthen the African WASH planning and capabilities so as to strengthen the sector for effective service delivery to the growing population… Incorporating “Systems Thinking” and technical expertise with public policy, as the theme suggests, promises to hold the key to the positive way forward in seeking a lasting solution to the challenges in the WASH Sector. There is the need to continue to improve the traditional approach adopted in the past so as to yield better results.

“This is an urgent call to our Leaders and WASH Experts to deepen their collaboration to address issues in the Sector. It is also imperative, as a Continent, to tap into the unique experiences, skills and stock of knowledge of our Experts to help chart a new course for improved WASH service delivery.”

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com