MSWR Ends Two Days Performance Review and Validation Workshop

 

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has organized a two-day Sector review stakeholders’ workshop and Handing over Notes in Accra.

The objective of the two days’ workshop is to review and assess the performance of the Ministry and its Agencies over the last three to four years since its establishment in 2017 as a dedicated Ministry for the  WASH sector in line with the attainment of the SDG 6 and the vision of the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to make Ghana one of the cleanest countries in Africa.

The workshop brought together Heads of the Agencies under the Ministry, Heads of Departments under the Ministry as well as key stakeholders in the Sector.

Opening the workshop, the Sector Minister, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah commended the various Agencies and Projects as well as stakeholders in the Sector for their hard work, cooperation and dint of hard work which has brought strides to the Sector in terms of water and sanitation delivery to the people of Ghana.

The workshop according to the Sector Minister was also to validate and finalize the Ministry’s Handing over Notes for the period 2017 to 2020.

 

The preparation of the Handing over Notes is in fulfilment of Article 58 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 6(2) and 6(3) of the Presidential Transition Act, 2012, Act (845) which mandates all Ministries, Departments and Agencies including Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to prepare and submit a set of comprehensive Handing over Notes covering the terms of Office to the President as the Executive Authority.

The Sector Minister indicated that since the establishment of the Ministry in 2017, great strides have been made to coordinate activities in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector resulting in the significant achievements in the Sector.

She however admitted there is more work to be done in the Sector.

Major Achievements

Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah highlighted some of the major achievements and accomplishments of her Ministry over the last four years.

This include the overall ambient water quality improvement from an index of 51.5 in 2017 to 57.8 at the end of 2019.

National water coverage increased from 78 percent in 2017 to 81 percent as at the end of 2019.

This implies three percent improvement in water delivery representing approximately 1,942,000 people.

According to the Sector Minister the current interventions by Government would benefit a total population of 5,567,975 at a cost of 1.741 Billion US Dollars.

         

On issues relating to Sanitation, the Sector Minister stated that population with access to household toilets increased from 14 percent in 2017 to 21 percent at the end of 2019.

This implies seven percent increment representing approximately 2, 364, 979 people.

Another key achievement is over 5,498 Communities declared Open Defecation Free country wide.

The Sector Minister called for more inter-sectoral engagements in the coming years.

She appealed to stakeholders to share ideas and as much as possible harmonize their policies and programs to further enhance performance in the Sector.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr. Noah Tumfo informed the participants that the workshop was quite important because it would evaluate the challenges identified in the Sector and plan ahead.

The Agencies that participated in the workshop include the Ghana Water Company Ltd, the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, the Water Resources Commission and the three Schools of Hygiene.

There are currently two major Projects under the Ministry namely the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP) and the Greater Accra Sustainable Sanitation and Livelihoods Improvement Project (GASSLIP).

The others include NGOs in the Water and Sanitation Sector.

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