Colombia to Invest in Ghana’s Wash Sector

Ghana and Colombia are to pursue programmes in the WASH Sector in the spirit of South- South cooperation to promote the development of the two countries. To this end, Colombia is to construct a compost toilet facility in the various communities in Ghana to support the government’s programme of ending open defecation in the country.

These issues were discussed when the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Claudia Turbay Quintero paid a courtesy call on the Sector Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah at her office on Friday, January 11, 2019

Mrs. Claudia Turbay Quintero said one of her priorities as an Ambassador is to explore areas of cooperation between Ghana and Colombia and also deepen the existing cordial relations between her country and Ghana. She said she was at the Ministry to brief the Sector Minister about the compost toilet technology which has been introduced in Colombia as a means of providing toilet facilities to the vulnerable segment of the population in Colombia. According to her, the toilet facility had impacted positively in Colombia and it is her desire to introduce the facility to Ghana to support the government’s programme of One Household, One Toilet which will go a long way to end open defecation in the country.

Mrs. Claudia Turbay Quintero said both Ghana and Colombia have a lot to learn from each other. She appealed to the Sector Minister Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah to identify the various communities that would require the use of the facility.

The Sector Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources commended Mrs. Claudia Turbay Quintero for her hard work and interest shown in the development of Ghana. Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah also stressed the need to pursue the South-South Cooperation between Ghana and Colombia to share ideas for the development of both countries. Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah noted that the project would result into technology transfer into Ghana and also provide employment opportunities for the youth which is included in government’s flagship programmes.

Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah said both Ghana and Colombia are culturally linked together and therefore there was the need by both countries to share their experiences for their mutual benefits.

Provision of Household Toilet. The Sector Minister stated that sanitation is dignity and health. She therefore used the occasion to appeal to landlords and house owners to endeavor to provide toilet facilities for their tenants to demand toilets from their landlords.

Recycling Of Plastic Products. One important issue that was also discussed at the meeting was the recycling of plastic products as a way of ensuring environmental cleanliness. Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah indicated that a lot of companies have submitted proposals to go into the recycling of plastic products. She said the proposals are receiving attention and in due course the government will come out with a policy direction on it.

The GAMA Project. Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah disclosed that the GAMA Project under her Ministry has so far provided in excess of 15,000 Household Toilet facilities aimed at ending open defecation. She pledged the support of her Ministry in ensuring that the projects to be implemented by the Colombian government in Ghana are carried through. Present at the meeting were the Deputy Minister Hon. Patrick Boamah (MP), the Ag. Chief Director Mr. Joseph Obeng Poku, Directors and other senior staff of the Ministry.

 

Witten by
Nelson Kofi Akatey
PRO, MSWR

Posted in General, Past Events, Sanitation, Water Resources.

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