Political parties urged to prioritise sanitation issues

By Samira Larbie, GNA
Accra, Aug. 27, GNA - Ms Antoinette Shor-Anyawoe, the Acting Country Director of WaterAid Ghana, has encouraged political parties to integrate Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues in their manifestoes and discuss same on their political platforms.

This, she said, was necessary to create awareness of WASH issues during the 2016 general election and awaken key stakeholders to take concrete actions.

Ms Shor-Anyawoe was speaking at the 56 National Level Learning Alliance Platform (NLLAP) meeting organised by WaterAid Ghana in Accra to brief stakeholders on the WASH campaign for national development.

It was on the theme: 'Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Election 2016 in Ghana'.

It aims at soliciting support for WASH implementation and collectively discuss the way forward in ensuring its success and prioritisation in Ghana.

Ms Shor-Anyawoe said political parties in their previous manifestoes had drafted policies on sanitation but that was marginal hence the need to make it their centre piece and discuss it vehemently to achieve the required change.

She said often times political parties saw sanitation issues as merely constructing toilet facilities and providing water but it moves beyond that to sustainability to ensure the amenities served for a long term.

She said Ghana had signed onto so many Sustainable Development Goals but their implementation was the problem and urged the political parties to show commitment by ensuring the programme worked for the benefit of all.

Mr Enoch Cudjoe, the Acting Policy Manager of WaterAid Ghana, said there was the need for communities and political parties to scale up the support now and after the elections.

He, thus, called for the necessary by-laws to be enforced to shape both political parties and communities as far as sanitation and health issues are concerned.

Reverend Stephen Yaw Osei, the Director of Policy Budget, Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, said: 'Water is life, sanitation is dignity and hygiene is health and, thus, partnering with WaterAid through this initiative would make citizens very healthy'.

He said government alone could not handle the situation and, therefore, needed private entities to come on board to address the challenge.

He appealed for massive public support to ensure that the achievement of the various policies and programmes outlined in the plan did not become a mirage.

GNA