Story by Doreen Ampofo
UNICEF and the Embassy of Denmark have signed a partnership to provide potable and affordable water supply to 100,000 people in the Upper East and Upper West regions. The 14-million-dollar partnership, which is to support government’s efforts to accelerate water access to low-income urban communities, will also benefit 40,000 children.
The two regions were selected because the Upper East and Upper West face significant water scarcity issues, driven primarily by climate change and challenges in water management and infrastructure. While access to improved water sources like boreholes may seem high, studies show a significant risk of contamination, often due to poor sanitation practices and open defecation, which pollute surface water. A June 2024 study indicated that 32.3% of households in the Upper West Region were water-insecure.
The 14-million-dollar partnership will address issues of water safety while tackling underutilised treatment plants such as the Tono and Jambusi plants, which are currently operating at less than a third of full capacity. Implemented in collaboration with Ghana Water Limited (GWL), the initiative seeks to introduce a sustainable, scalable model for delivering water services to low-income households, including the development of a long-term financing mechanism for such communities.
Speaking at the signing, the UNICEF Country Representative, Osama Makkawi Khogali, said the project will protect the rights of children in communities where the harshest impacts of climate change are felt. The four-year project, titled Water Access and Water Efficiency for Low-Income Areas in Ghana, will address the issue of affordable water connections for vulnerable households. “This transformative initiative will improve the lives of families, particularly children,” he said.
The Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana, Jakob Linulf, expressed Denmark’s commitment to improving Ghana’s WASH sector while emphasizing the urgency of integrating climate action with water accessibility.
“We will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without addressing the climate crisis. Denmark is proud to be a green partner on Ghana’s journey towards achieving SDG 6 on universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water,” he noted.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra, the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said the partnership will boost Ghana Water Limited’s efforts to reduce losses, expand connections and improve efficiency. He added that the project aligns with government priorities on universal access to safe, reliable and affordable water, describing water as “a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of health, dignity and economic empowerment,” adding that the project would address gaps created by rapid urbanisation, rising demand and non-revenue water.
He noted that “the initiative would also pilot a Social Connection Fund under the revised National Water Policy to reduce upfront connection costs for low-income households, ensuring services are responsive to community needs. While improving access, it will also ensure that no community is left behind in the provision of WASH services.”
Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited, Mr. Adam Mutawakilu, said the intervention would provide about 9,000 new household connections and improve public standpipes where individual connections were not immediately possible.
He said Denmark had been “a true partner” whose support over the years continued to strengthen the country’s water systems.
Ghana currently records a 57 per cent gap in access to safely managed drinking water despite progress toward Sustainable Development Goal Six.
The partnership aligns with government’s national development priority on water and sanitation, and UNICEF’s mandate to fulfil Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation.
