Stakeholders in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector have urged the government of Ghana to fulfill its pledge to allocate 1.7 billion U.S. dollars to the sector annually beginning 2025 to accelerate teh process towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 6.
The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS)made this call in a communique issued at the end of the just ended Mole XXXV WASH Conference held in Ho, the Volta Regional capital.
CONIWAS said the pledge made in the Presidential WASH Compact, signed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo earlier this year, if fulfilled, would be critical towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).
Speaking on the communique issued at the MOLE XXXV Conference in Ho, Ibrahim Musah, Head of Policy and Strategies at WaterAid Ghana (WAG) and a member of the technical committee of the Mole Conference, emphasized the need for urgent financial releases to meet the targets set in the compact.
Musah noted that while the political will is evident, it must be matched by concrete financial support to make significant progress in WASH services nationwide.
“Without the necessary funding, the ambition to achieve SDG 6 by 2030 will remain a mirage,” he stated, adding, “The 1.7 billion-dollar annual allocation is critical for the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Community Water and Sanitation Agency, Ghana Water Company Limited, and other stakeholders to carry out essential projects.”
Musah further noted that CONIWAS, in collaboration with civil society organizations, will closely monitor the government’s budgetary allocations to ensure the funds are used effectively to advance national WASH policies.
The conference also raised concerns over the impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on the country’s water bodies.
The WAG official described the development as “mass murder” of natural resources, lauding recent government efforts to combat galamsey, but stressed that more needs to be done to restore water resources and protect them from further damage.
He warned that polluted water bodies could derail the country’s efforts to meet clean water targets under SDG 6.
Moreover, the official said the urgent need for climate-resilient WASH infrastructure, as highlighted in the communique is a critical issue, needing national attention.
As climate change continues to deplete groundwater resources and disrupt water systems, policymakers and development partners should prioritise building infrastructure that can withstand these challenges, added the official.
He also noted that, while the MOLE Conference has driven key policy changes—such as the 2009 abolition of the 5% upfront capital cost for rural water supply—there remains a gap in community-level behavior change.
Musah, therefore, urged national NGOs and community-based organizations to strengthen their efforts in promoting practices that ensure the sustainability of WASH infrastructure.
The MOLE XXXV Conference saw participation from international organizations, including WaterAid Ghana, IRC Ghana, World Vision Ghana, Plan International Ghana, USAID, Global Communities, Saha Global, and UNICEF. National organizations such as the Greater Accra/Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GAMA/GKMA) Sanitation and Water Projects, as well as the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, also attended.
Other organizations present were the Alliance for WASH Advocacy, Pronet, Afram Plains Development Organisation, Ghana Water Limited, Community Water and Sanitation Agency, Skyfox Ltd, Environmental Service Providers Association and the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies..
