By Samuel Akumatey, GNA
Accra, Nov. 06, GNA- The Vice President, Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, Tuesday, says government has activated processes towards the establishment of a National Sanitation Authority and a Sanitation Fund, to improve sanitation in the country.
Dr Bawumia, addressing the 30th Mole WASH conference organised by the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) in Ho, said the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources brought “renewed hope of improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) performance,” and reiterated government’s commitment to the sector.
He said the commitment necessitated its leading efforts at providing safe water and hygienic sanitary facilities for all communities in the country.
According to the Vice President, over 3000 water and sanitation projects were ongoing in all constituencies as part of the Government’s infrastructure for poverty eradication, funded with the one million dollars per constituency facility.
Dr Bawumia said the State’s support for stakeholders in the sector would be sustained towards improving WASH outcomes.
He said proper sanitation remained the responsibility of the individual, the community, and the Government, and called on all stakeholders including the public to help save the environment.
“The externability of sanitation makes it imperative that we treat it holistically and make it available to everybody in the country.
“Government would continue to engage the Coalition in reviewing the National Water Policy towards attaining the goals of the SDG. We would work towards ensuring universal access to WASH by 2030 or even earlier,” Dr. Bawumia said.
The conference was on the theme “30 Years of Multi-Stakeholder WASH Dialogue: Reflections and Prospects”.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, said sanitation and hygiene continued to receive the needed political support, and that her Ministry was working more closely with MMDAs to realise its goals.
She said the Ministry, as part of its efforts to promote the SDGs, had water as its focal point, and also had industrial alignments, and private-public-partnerships with technological innovations forming its new directions.
Mr Martin Derry, Chairman of CONIWAS, commended the level of importance Government attached to water and sanitation, whiles noting that the role of CSOs was “very crucial and encouraging.”
He said behavioural change remained a prerequisite of hygiene, and CONIWAS stood committed to leading the change.
“Hygiene is about change. Policy alone cannot bring about the desired change. We have made ourselves sober recipients of ideas and this must change,” he said.
Mr Derry called for more private sector involvement in the sanitation service delivery, and commended NGOs for sustaining Sanitation Day events across the country, adding that CONIWAS would continue to play its watchdog role.
The Mole conference, first held 30 years ago at the Mole National Park, has been credited with championing water and sanitation reforms in the country, leading to the establishment of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency.
The Vice President opened a sanitation fair which featured innovative technologies in waste, and hygiene management.
SOF
