In order to provide sustainable and inclusive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services throughout the nation, a new WaterAid Ghana Country Programme Strategy was unveiled in Accra.
Priority will be given to WASH across the health sector, enhancing WASH's resistance to climate change, and attaining universal, sustainable, and safe access to WASH under the five-year strategy (2023-2028).
The plan intends to influence 10 targeted districts in the Upper West and Upper East regions—particularly the Bongo District—to adopt sustainable, safe, and inclusive WASH behaviors, with a direct impact of one million people and an indirect impact of four million.
Additionally, it will concentrate on guaranteeing and standardizing access to clean water, acceptable restrooms, and basic hygiene for all Ghanaians.
The strategies used include forging strategic alliances and partnerships, influencing others, promoting peace and security, gender equality, and gender-responsive WASH.
Ewurabena Yanyi-Akofur, Country Director of WaterAid Ghana, explained that the new strategy, known as WaterAid Ghana's Country Programme Strategy 7, was the result of months of research, collaboration, and consultation with its partners, stakeholders, and communities at the launch in Accra yesterday.
She underlined their intention to work with the government, CSOs, communities, and other stakeholders on a continuing basis to promote WASH services for everyone.
She also hoped that the group would cooperate to generate at least £12 million to carry out the plan over the following five years.
The new plan, according to Mrs. Yanyi-Akofur, embodies their commitment to enhancing local authorities' capacity to provide equitable and sustainable water and sanitation services.
The plan, according to Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, offered a framework for a coordinated effort to guarantee and sustain the supply of WASH for everyone.
According to him, the Sustainable Development Goals and Ghana's national vision are both supported by WaterAid Ghana CPS.
"Our ambition for the WASH sector should go beyond the introduction of policies and programs and instead focus on the creation of a world in which everyone, regardless of background, has access to clean water.
Collaboration
Tim Wainwright, the Chief Executive Officer of Water Aid UK, urged everyone to sit down in order to establish universal, sustainable, and secure access to WASH.
Dr. Abdul-Nashiru Mohammed, the regional director for Water Aid West Africa, also voiced optimism for the day when the target villages will no longer require WAG services.