Political commitment to WASH, increased funding critical to improving livelihoods — CONIWAS

The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has called for political commitment and increased funding to enhance water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in Ghana.

Speaking at a media dissemination event in Accra on Thursday, November 28, Basilia Nanbign, Executive Secretary of CONIWAS, presented the coalition’s WASH manifesto.

She stressed the importance of prioritizing WASH at all levels of governance and called on political parties to make actionable commitments to improve the sector.

“WASH is one of the catalyst to support our workforce when we have access to sanitation, hygiene, food, hygiene, water, then it means that our workforce has the necessary equipment to be able to work very well,” she said.

The manifesto focuses on three key demands: Political prioritization: Elevating WASH to a top-level national development priority, Increased financing: Strengthening WASH funding from the national to the district level.

It also focuses on Institutional alignment: Ensuring better coordination among related ministries and agencies to streamline WASH service delivery.

Highlighting the need for budgetary reforms, Ms. Nanbign added, “Among all the social sectors, WASH often receives the least budget allocation. We want this trend reversed because WASH is directly linked to health, education, and livelihoods.”

Ministry of Sanitation pledges support

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources pledged its commitment to advancing WASH in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6, which seeks universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

Addressing the event, Mrs. Esi Boni-Morkla, Senior Environmental Health Analyst at the Ministry, underscored the sector’s critical role in national development.

“Can we do health without WASH? Can we do education without WASH? The answer is no. Prioritizing WASH is essential to achieving sustainable development,” she stated.

Mrs. Boni-Morkla further acknowledged the gaps in WASH access and called for collective action.

“We still have about 25% of our population without access to safe sanitation. This highlights the need for collaborative efforts from government, civil society, academia, traditional authorities, and the private sector to bridge the gap,” she said.

Calls for accountability
The WASH manifesto also encourages political parties to commit to regular monitoring and accountability mechanisms.

According to CONIWAS, this will ensure that campaign promises on WASH are effectively implemented.

“Political parties must act as ambassadors for WASH, ensuring that every community, from urban areas to the most remote regions, has access to clean water and proper sanitation,” Ms. Nanbign emphasized.

So far, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Convention People’s Party (CPP) have signed onto the manifesto, pledging to prioritize WASH in their policies and programs.

CONIWAS hopes that the manifesto will serve as a roadmap for integrating WASH into national development as the country approaches the 2024 general elections.

“Let’s ensure that WASH is not just an agenda for advocacy but a reality for all Ghanaians,” Ms. Nanbign stressed.