Nsuo App Wins US$5000 Sanitation Hackathon Competition

Nsuo App has been adjudged the overall winner of the maiden Sanitation Hackathon competition held at the Alisa hotel.

The team which took home the ultimate prize of US$5000, a tablet each and 6months data from Surfline pulled 346points out of the total score of 450 to beat 30 teams.

The judges were impressed about their work as the most viable and scalable digital solution to the sanitation menace in the country.

Beamers Team won the second place with US$3000, a tablet each and 6months data from surfline after pulling 305points.

Sani-GH Team also received US$2000, a tablet each and 6months data from Surfline for the third position after pulling 295points.

In the special category award, Team Kijani won the most innovative solution with a tablet each. Smart Team was adjudged the most promising solution with a tablet each whiles Sani-Gh Team were awarded for their good team work and commitment with a tablet each.

35 teams out of 300 applicants were selected for the final stage of the Sanitation Hackathon which started on 17th to 19th November 2018. 5 teams out of the 35 dropped before the beginning of the marathon.

The teams provided digital solutions to the sanitation challenges by presenting and defending their ideas, mobile applications and projects to a panel of experts for consideration organized by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resource with support from World Bank Ghana.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resoruces, Mr. Joseph Obeng-Poku, the Chief Director said we will need to do things differently if we have to achieve sanitation and water for all by 2030.

He noted that currently, the country generates an estimated 16,000tonnes of solid waste daily which has to be safely managed.

The Chief Director indicated that technology is playing a significant role in addressing some of the developmental challenges in the country.

Its high penetration rate and usage, according to Mr. Obeng-Poku, affords the platform for long-term success and sustainability of solutions integrating Information Technology in sanitation.

He added that a 2018 report on the Ghanaian Mobile Phone Sector has shown that Ghana is one of Africa's largest mobile technology markets with approximately 34.5 subscribers and a penetration rate of 119 per cent, while 10. 11 million- nearly one-third of the country's population are active internet users.

Mr. Obeng-Poku said the ministry is focused on restoring the image of Ghanaians by eliminating open defecation.

According to him, the ministry is aggressively pursuing the one house, one toilet agenda of the government. In this light, the municipal and district assemblies across the country have been given specific timelines and outputs for the provision of household toilets to the citizens.

“The Assemblies have also been directed to enforce their bye laws in this regard,” he stated.

Mr. Obeng-Poku stressed that the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project has also constructed over 13,500 household toilets to support this agenda.

The project, he emphasised is expected to construct an additional 7000 toilets by the middle of 2019. The project is also constructing 406 institutional toilets in 246 schools across the Greater Accra to ensure that open defecation is eradicated in these schools.

He intimated that the Ministry has put in place the necessary frameworks and initiatives to improve solid waste management in the country in order to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa.