The government has commenced high-level stakeholder engagements on the recently signed presidential compact on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
At the first engagement in Accra on Monday, Sanitation and Water Resources Minister Lydia Seyram Alhassan emphasised that WASH is a fundamental human right and the country must quicken the pace of bridging the wide gap in access, especially in the sanitation subsector.
Alhassan noted that the signing of the presidential compact is another good springboard to enable Ghana to get closer to the national and by extension international WASH targets.
The minister stressed that current WASH service delivery requires a paradigm shift, adding that the tenets of the presidential compact “encourage us to embrace a more circular economy focus in our approach.”
She underscored the need to shift from the traditional linear model to a rather more sustainable, efficient, and regenerative approach to service delivery.
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According to the minister, the government’s commitment of 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in annual investment in the sector represents its priority on WASH and the determination to increase and sustain access to services in Ghana.
“However, government action alone is not enough to meet these commitments. We therefore need the active participation and support of all stakeholders,” the minister stated.
She urged development partners, civil society organizations, the private sector, traditional leaders, and the communities to play their parts to enable Ghana to meet the local and international WASH targets.
