World Vision Ghana and its partners under the Enhancing WASH Activity in collaboration with Global Communities, have organized the maiden Baobab District WASH Awards in Tamale in the Northern region.
The Enhancing WASH activity aims to facilitate access to and use of sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services and products in target districts of Northern Ghana.
World Vision presented laptops and water test kits to Yendi, Karaga, Nadowli, Gushiegu, Karaga, Bawku West, Garu, Tampane, Sagnarigu, and Lambulishi for performing well in the assessment.
Nadowli-Kaleo District Assembly emerged as the overall best-performing district assembly in WASH in the five regions of the north.
Madam Safia Abdulai, the Coordinating Director of the Nadowli-Kaleo District Assembly, expressed her excitement for their assembly winning the overall best-performing district assembly in WASH.
She urged other Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take WASH-related issues seriously to ensure that the environment is safe.
Mr. Bismark Norgbe, WASH coordinator, World Vision USA, at the awards noted that the maiden award is to encourage and recognize MMDAs that are doing well in the area of WASH
“We hope that the awards will motivate other MMDAs to up their game as well as encourage the well-performing MMDAs to do more”.
He disclosed that the Baobab District WASH Awards will be held every year to encourage the various MMDAs.
Mrs. Patricia Dovi Sampson who read a speech on behalf of the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Freda Prempeh, indicated that despite the many good initiatives introduced by government and development partners, Ghana is still faced with challenges, and a lot remains to be done to achieve sanitation and water for all.
“This is why we need all hands on deck to support and sustain the modest efforts towards access to sustainable WASH services. This is the surest to ensure improved health outcomes, increased productivity, and socio-economic development to promote the general wellbeing of citizens”.
According to her, to effectively deliver sustainable WASH services, MMDAs also need to familiarize themselves with all relevant sector policies and strategic documents.
“These include the National Water Policy (NWP), Ghana WASH Sector Development Programme (GWASHSDP 2021-2030), Rain Water Harvesting Strategy (RWHS), National Drinking Water Quality Management Framework (NDWQMF), Environmental Sanitation Policy (ESP), Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy (RSMS), and the Solid and Liquid Waste Management Strategies. These policies and strategic documents have been developed by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to guide MMDAs and all relevant stakeholders who aim to deliver sustainable WASH services”.
She indicated that the ministry is ready to work in partnership with other ministries and relevant stakeholders to create the enabling environment for increased private sector participation in WASH services delivery at the local level.
“I wish to pledge the support of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and all its agencies to all MMDAs as you implement commitments towards accelerated WASH services delivery. We look forward to working with all of you and providing the necessary backstopping”.
Mrs. Sampson was of the view that one of the major barriers to sustainable WASH service delivery is the poor attitude of citizens and encouraged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to roll out comprehensive and sustained behavior change strategies in their respective jurisdictions to promote positive behaviors, without which no amount of investments will yield the desired results.
“I also wish to encourage MMDAs to gazette and enforce their by-laws and declare a zero-tolerance for water, environmental sanitation, and hygiene offenses. To accelerate WASH services delivery and sustain the gains, MMDAs need to support the Works Department, the Environmental Health Unit, and indeed all relevant departments and units by building their capacity and resourcing them adequately to lead this crusade”.
BY Eric Kombat