Tamale, May 29, GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister has urged the West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) and other stakeholders in water provision to step up efforts to solve the acute water shortage facing several parts of the country.

He stressed that "water was a right and not a privilege and that the government alone could not meet this basic need, hence the need for partners like WAWI and other donor agencies must come to the aid of government in its efforts in giving the citizenry this basic necessity". Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris was addressing the opening ceremony of the fifth Annual Regional Review Meeting of WAWI in Tamale on Tuesday. The review meeting is aimed at analysing the first phase of the WAWI project in solving water and water borne related diseases as well as sanitation in three West African countries namely; Ghana, Mali and Niger.

Staffs of World Vision International and WAWI from the three West African countries and the US representative of Water Aid Ghana, Carter Centre, Ghana Water Company Ltd, some District Chief Executives and other partners of the WAWI are attending the review meeting. The Water Aid and International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) hosted the workshop with support from the Ghana National Steering Committees of WAWI and World Vision.

The review was also aimed at developing partners in the projects as well as redoubling efforts to enable the organisation to achieve its objectives.

It is also to help conclude the first phase of its activities in September 2008 and plans for transition to the second phase scheduled to begin from Oct. 2008-2013.

Alhaji Mustapha also urged WAWI to partner the government in its efforts at eradicating the guinea worm disease in the country, adding that, this would help in alleviating poverty among the people.

He commended the organisation for being a partner in the sustainable development of the country and its drive towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) in 2015.

Mr. Bismarck Nerquaye Tetteh, WAWI Coordinator said the organisation, which started in 2002, had four major objectives as part of its contribution towards the attainment of the MDG's and this included; increasing the level of access to sustainable, safe water and environmental sanitation among the poor and the vulnerable in society. He said other objectives included reducing the prevalence of water-borne diseases such as trachoma, guinea worm and diarrhoea.

Mr. Tetteh said the organisation had so far made some valuable successes in its areas of operation particularly in the Northern Region. Dr. Agartha Aboe, country Representative of the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) stressed that her outfit's partnership with the WAWI had made tremendous impact in the lives of many through its programmes and activities in Ghana, Mali and Niger. She said through the organisation's efforts, Ghana was likely to be the first country in Africa to eliminate blinding trachoma and other tropical diseases.

Dr. Agatha however called for efficient allocation and judicious usage of funds, grants and resources given by donor agencies so that the poorest of the poor would benefit fully from the achievements of the MDG's.