Mr Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director, Water Practice Group of the World Bank, joined the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah to launch Ghana's Water, Access, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) development programme document in Accra. The document provides the framework for inclusive sector planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation for sustainable and universal water supply of WASH services to the people in all communities in Ghana by 2030. The document's objective is to ensure that efforts to deliver WASH services are well coordinated to address key sector challenges that limit the provision and sustenance of services needed in the sector. Other key components are priorotising neglected areas such as water resource management and water supply, environmental sanitation covering liquid and solid waste and hygiene as well as cost of implementing the programme. Madam Cecelia Dapaah, launching the book, noted that the initiative was a confirmation of the importance of the Government's contribution to consolidate the gains achieved so far in the WASH services. She said, 'Our strategic goal as a country is to accelerate and enhance access to equitable WASH services throughout Ghana, using a multi-talented approach while emphasising on governance, sector strengthening to improve service deliver in the areas. 'Addressing the challenges of lack of good sanitation requires adequate funding and the programme has provided estimate on how much fund would be needed for the sector annually,' she said. It is estimated that eight million dollars would be needed for water resources management and 420 million for urban water supply, 350 million for rural and community water supply, 800 million dollars for sanitation, 60 million dollars for hygiene and 60 million dollars for system strengthening and institutional development, respectively. She gave an assurance that Ghana and its WASH development partners are working to mobilise the required resource to ensure increased access to service delivery until the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. 'We cannot underestimate the critical role the private sector plays in bridging the gap and accelerating the WASH development agenda to ensure efficient and effective health delivery to the people,' she said. Mr Saaroj Jha, told the Ghana News Agency after the launch that World Bank recognized Ghana's considerable progress in the WASH services sector, hence the need to work closely with the Government and development partners to achieve the SDGs. He suggested for a good financing strategy to put in place to adequately cater for every sector in the WASH services, adding that, 'World Bank care for this document launched which was going to address numerous challenges the country is facing,' Solidarity messages were delivered by the African Development Bank, World Bank, Ghana, UNICEF, Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisation in Water Sanitation, and the Environmental Service Providers Association.

Source: Ghana News Agency