In as much as government may want to be hailed for its effort at re-launching the National Sanitation Champaign instituted by the erstwhile Mahama’s administration, the Coalition of NGOs In Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has urged government to greater enforce sanitation by-laws devoid of the usual partisan political and social interferences.
Speaking at a news conference in Accra, the Vice Chairman of CONIWAS, Atta Arhin said government must also consider building the capacity and resourcing of national, regional and field level officers with the mandate to promote improved sanitation.
He indicated that government must increase prioritization and investment for implementation of this campaign and other sanitation related programs and projects.
Mr. Arhin noted that even though Ghana has made remarkable gains in safe water delivery, the same cannot be said about sanitation and hygiene services.
According to him, Ghana loses US$ 290 million annually due to poor sanitation and US$ 79 million from Open Defecation.
“Only 15% of the Ghanaian population has access to improved sanitation (improved toilet facilities that hygienically separates faecal matter from human contact). Over 19% of Ghanaians practice Open Defecation, 60% of the population share latrines, while over 58% of solid waste is either crudely or indiscriminately disposed of,” the Vice Chairman stated.
Mr. Arhin noted that the establishment of the National Sanitation Authority as the overall framework for delivering improved sanitation in the country as well as the much-anticipated WASH Fund.
He added that government must integrate all already existing initiatives, including the National Sanitation Day into this project and customize them to fit into the campaign.
Mr. Arhin stressed that CONIWAS commits to rolling out a comprehensive program to monitor project implementation, track progress and make recommendations for improving the process.
“The Coalition will undertake studies, issue fact sheets, and position papers and continue to remind government of its commitments and the social contract with Ghanaians, especially in the area of sanitation,” he posited.
The Vice Chairman emphasized that while they support the idea of promoting universal access to toilets in Ghana through government’s One House – One Toilet project, the implementation mechanism for delivering this is unclear.
Therefore, they want government to come clear whether Is this One House – One Toilet project going to be delivered through a target-driven subsidy approach?
According to him, will government practically construct improved latrines for household free of charge?
“Is government still interested in pursuing implementation of the Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy, and the Community-Led Total Sanitation approach for delivering improved sanitation in rural communities?” Mr. Arhin intimated.
He opined whether government is taking steps to develop an urban sanitation strategy, within which all the initiatives outlined as part of the National Sanitation Campaign can be anchored.
In his last remarks, the Vice Chairman appealed Ghanaians to embrace this campaign and ignite a desire for change in behaviour and attitude towards sanitation.
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