By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The National Director, World Vision Ghana (WVG), Mr. Dickens Thunde, says access to sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services is the foundation for improved health, quality education, economic opportunities, increased household income, and accelerated socio-economic development.
According to him, there is a strong correlation between access to WASH services and well-being. This is why the regions with poor access to WASH are also clearly the poorest in the country.
Addressing Members of Parliament (MPs) at an event organised by the WVG, dubbed: “The Parliamentary Dialogue on Enhancing Wash Services Delivery in Northern Ghana,” Mr. Thunde said nothing can be more important to child wellbeing than access to safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene.
He maintained that access to water and sanitation in schools and healthcare facilities is equally problematic. Twenty-six (26%) percent and 25% of all public basix schools, respectively, lack access to a toilet facility and safe drinking water.
“For believers in a better world for children, the lack of access to safe water and toilet facilities in schools is not only regrettable but also very worrying, especially when many of the available toilet facilities in schools do not have changing rooms for girls. This does not make the school environment conducive or friendly to the girl child, particularly those who have reached the age of puberty,” the World Vision National Director posited.
He explained that in respect of Healthcare facilities, available research shows that 15% of maternal deaths are caused by infections due to poor hygienic practices, and just the simple act of handwashing by mothers and birth attendants can lower the risk of mortality for newborns by 44%.
“As an organisation whose vision for every child is LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS, we believe that nothing can be more important to child wellbeing than access to safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene. That is why World Vision prioritises and promotes access to sustainable WASH services in communities, households, schools, and healthcare facilities,” he noted.
The Enhancing WASH project (funded by USAID), a component of which World Vision Ghana is implementing in partnership with Global Communities (the Consortium Lead), seeks to achieve sustainable financing of WASH interventions, equitable access to WASH services, and the strengthening of systems for planning and implementation towards sustainable WASH services delivery, he hinted.
The National Director of WVG was full of praise for the Rt. Hon. Speaker, the Leadership, and Members of Parliament for their demonstrable commitment, even at a time when Parliament is on recess. “It is refreshing to observe that our Honourable men and women of Ghana’s Parliament have still found time to be part of this dialogue and I say thank you all.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GBC Ghana Oneline, the WASH Technical Specialist, WVG, Mr. Yaw Attah Arhin, disclosed that Ghana may not achieve any of the Global Goals if it fails to achieve SDG 6, which is linked to all the goals.
He called on the government and WASH sector players to focus on ensuring that the SDG 6 goal is achieved.
The WASH Technical Specialist, WVG, was also worried about the regional disparities in access to safe water. According to him, while the national average remained at 80% between 2011 and 2017, access to safe water declined in the three (3) Northern Regions between 10% and 27%.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) report revealed that all five regions in Northern Ghana (Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper West, and Upper East Regions) fell below the national average of 87.7%.
Again, it is confirmed by the same report that safe water access in the five Northern Regions is below all other regions except the newly created regions of Oti, Western North, Bono East, and Ahafo. The report noted that there are significant disparities between Greater Accra (97.7%), Ashanti (94.5%), and the North-East (54.8%).
Mr. Attah Arhin explained that the rationale behind the Parliamentary Dialogue is to engage the direct representatives of the people of Ghana to analyse available data, and discuss the issues with a view to achieving the following:
a. Political prioritization of improved WASH services delivery as the foundation for accelerated socio-economic development
b. Increased investments for sustainable WASH services delivery not only for Northern Ghana but also for every Ghanaian everywhere.
c. Targeted attention to the poorest and most deprived regions and districts to ensure equitable delivery of sustainable WASH services
d. Increased support to Ghana Water Company Limited, Community Water and Sanitation Agency, and NGOs/CSO to deliver sustainable WASH services to the good people of Ghana
e. Facilitate the establishment of The National Authority to lead the sustainable delivery of improved environmental and basic sanitation in Ghana.
The Parliamentary Dialogue series was on the theme: “Prioritizing Wash in Northern Ghana for Accelerated Socio-Economic Wellbeing.”
