The government with support from donors, has built about 120,000 household toilets since 2017 and nearly 55,000 communities have been declared open defecation-free.

Free water had been provided for all to support handwashing to combat the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources disclosed this at the opening of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Conference (MOLE XXXI) at Abokobi in the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The four-day conference which is on the theme ‘Prioritizing and Refocusing Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Services Delivery', is organized annually by the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) for public and private sector organizations to address WASH-related issues.

Mrs Dapaah said the pandemic has exposed gaps in the WASH sector which the government would collaborate with Civil Society Organizations to plug, adding that the WASH sector remains a key priority area for the government. She urged Ghanaians to continue to adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Mr Casely Ato Coleman, a fellow of IMANI Ghana, urged the government to put in much effort to improve sanitation in the country.

He called for immediate steps to be put in place to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.

Mr Martin Dery, Chairman of CONWAS said the coronavirus pandemic had underscored the need for enhanced collaboration to achieve all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The minister also unveiled a seven-pillar action plan by which the government intends to improve upon the management of solid waste in the country.

Titled The National Solid Waste Management Strategy, the 51-page document aims to set the country on the path towards progressive high quality, cost-effective, and SWM service delivery for public health and other benefits.

Other components of the strategy are to achieve effective waste recovery, re-use and recycling ensure ng effective sector monitoring and evaluation, and establishing sustainable sector financing mechanism.