Experts at MOLE XXXVII push climate-resilient wash for last-mile communities

The Ghana Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has unveiled a high-powered expert panel to lead the theme address for the 37th edition of Ghana's flagship Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Conference—MOLE XXXVII—slated for November 1-6, 2026, at Aqua Safari, Ada, in the Greater Accra Region.

The panel, which brings together policy, private sector, development partner, and academic perspectives, will dissect the main theme: "Accelerating Climate-Resilient WASH Service Delivery for Last-Mile Communities: Options, Strategies, and Actions."

The session will be moderated by Engineer Harold Esseku, Senior WASH Specialist at the World Bank, a globally respected voice on sustainable WASH systems.

The distinguished panelists are Mr. Michael Forson, Technical Advisor (WASH), Office of the President—representing the highest level of political commitment; Mrs. Vida Duti, Chief Executive Officer, Riva Ghana—bringing private sector innovation and market-based solutions; and Professor Simon Adinkrah-Mariwah, Health and Development Geography, University of Cape Coast (UCC)—providing evidence, research, and equity perspective.

Dr. Beata Awinpoka Akanyani, Chairperson of CONIWAS, told the Media Coalition against Open Defecation (M-CODe) that the choice of the panel is deliberate to move Ghana from talk to funded action for last-mile communities.

"MOLE XXXVII will not be another talk shop. It will create a common space where policymakers, practitioners, and researchers can give an account of the state of the WASH sector's quest to accelerate progress of climate-resilient WASH services to last-mile communities, assess options, review strategies, and renew actions," Dr. Awinpoka Akanyani said.

She explained that last-mile communities—deprived rural communities, small towns, peri-urban settlements, informal urban settlements, and vulnerable populations—remain disproportionately affected by climate change impacts on water availability, quality, and sanitation continuity, yet are the least served by conventional systems.

The conference is expected to explore how current WASH delivery strategies, sector coordination actions, and service delivery models will impact Ghana's quest to achieve WASH for all by 2030 in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6.

The Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe), through the empowerment of World Vision Ghana, is providing a strategic and targeted communication platform for the conference, ensuring national visibility and citizen engagement.

According to CONIWAS, the 2026 edition is critical because it comes at a time when Ghana's WASH Sector Development Programme estimates that about US$1.7 billion is needed annually to achieve national targets by 2030, while recent District Assembly Common Fund allocations of 10 percent to water and 10 percent to sanitation have created a new opportunity for local-level financing that must be translated into results.

The expert panel is expected to answer tough questions: How do we translate national commitments like SDG 6 into funded actions at the MMDA level? How do we ensure resources reach underserved and vulnerable communities? What governance and accountability mechanisms will ensure last-mile communities are not left behind?

Ing. Esseku is expected to drive the panel towards actionable recommendations on financing, governance, and technology.

Ing. Forson is expected to articulate how the Presidency is prioritizing WASH as a political priority and how inter-ministerial coordination is being strengthened.

Mrs. Duti will showcase how private sector models, sanitation marketing, and enterprise financing can deliver affordable and inclusive WASH.

Prof. Adinkrah-Mariwah will provide the evidence on climate vulnerability, gender and social inclusion, and why equity-focused metrics are non-negotiable.

The six-day conference will balance plenary and panel discussions with interactive parallel sessions, group discussions, verbal and poster presentations, side events for innovators, media events, and exhibitions.

Two virtual conference centers with online links will also be established to enable participation from persons unable to travel to Ada.

A conference reception, capacity-building workshops, learning field trips to WASH facilities and tourist sites around Aqua Safari, and a special dinner and awards night at Marlin Beach Resort will form part of the conference.

Participants include representatives from Ministries, departments and Agencies, MMDAs, traditional authorities, development partners, academia, research institutions, NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, civil society, the private sector, media, regulatory bodies including the Water Resources Commission and PURC, informal WASH service providers, community representatives and financial institutions.

CONIWAS says the outcome will be a conference communiqué with actionable recommendations to overcome challenges and accelerate access to climate-resilient, sustainable WASH services with strong Gender and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) monitoring metrics.