$14 Million Project: Denmark, UNICEF, and Ghana to Bring Safe Drinking Water to Urban Areas

Accra, November 26, 2025 – The Embassy of Denmark and UNICEF announce the launch of a joint initiative valued at One hundred million Danish Krone (DKK100,000,000), approximately USD14 million, to support the Government of Ghana in expanding access to safe drinking water for vulnerable low-income urban areas.

The project is expected to provide access to safe drinking water for about 100,000 people, including an estimated 40,000 children. This initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Water Limited (GWL), and aims to develop and roll out an effective, sustainable approach to delivering water services to underserved communities, including the establishment of a sustainable funding mechanism for identifiable low-income households. Despite solid progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 (safe and affordable drinking water), 57% of Ghana’s population currently lack access to safely managed drinking water.

“We will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without addressing the climate crisis. Denmark is proud to be a green partner on Ghana’s journey towards achievement of SDG 6 on universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water” said Jakob Linulf, Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana.

“UNICEF is pleased to collaborate on this initiative because it addresses the issue of affordable water connections for vulnerable households,” said Osama Makkawi Khogali, UNICEF Representative in Ghana. “This transformative initiative will improve the lives of families, particularly children,” he added.

The four-year project, titled "Water Access and Water Efficiency for Low-Income Areas in Ghana," will reach low-income areas including Wa and Bolgatanga in the Upper West and East regions of Ghana, respectively. It will utilize the Water Safety Plan approach, which aims to reduce the risk of drinking water contamination from the water source, through treatment and the distribution pipelines, all the way to the household level.

This joint initiative aligns with Ghana’s national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Project activities will be implemented through expansion of water piping networks to reach households in underserved areas, which have not previously had access to safe drinking water, community participation, paying attention to equity-focused approaches to ensure inclusive and lasting impact.