Ada:The Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has made a call for urgent universal coverage of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services that are both climate-resilient and sustainable. The call was made during the opening of the MOLE XXXVII National WASH Conference.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Beata Awinpoka Akanyani, the Chairperson of CONIWAS, emphasized the importance of reaching the last mile, targeting people and places often excluded from reliable services, such as deprived rural communities, small towns, peri-urban areas, and informal urban settlements.
Akanyani highlighted the crucial role of markets, health facilities, schools, and other public spaces in WASH service provision, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals mantra of 'Leaving No One Behind.' She pointed out that the measure of success would be tangible, lasting improvements in the daily lives of these communities.
The Chairperson revealed that a lack of basic water affects one out of four rural residents, with only 17 percent having access to safely managed water. She noted a significant gap in basic water access between urban areas, at 96.4 percent, and rural areas, at 74.4 percent. Additionally, rural hygiene has declined, with basic hygiene dropping from 36 percent in 2015 to 31 percent in 2024, and open defecation remains a rural issue, with a national rate of 17.7 percent.
Madam Akanyani stressed the urgency of acting with fairness and a commitment to climate resilience, as 74 percent of households still share toilets. She commended the government for its progress in the WASH sector, particularly the decision to increase the District Assemblies Common Fund allocation for WASH to 20 percent, highlighting the central role of local government in improving WASH outcomes. The MOLE National WASH Conference serves as a platform for government and Civil Society Organisations to discuss WASH issues, with this year's theme focusing on 'Accelerating Climate-Resilient WASH Service Delivery for Last-Mile Communities.'