The Executive Secretary of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has urged Ghanaians to value and protect the country’s water resources as well as appealing to government to provide safe water for all.

Ghana joined the world on 22nd March 2021 to commemorate the World Water Day. This year’s theme of World Water Day (WWD) 2021 is “valuing water” highlighting the significance of water means to humanity, homes and livelihoods.

The 2021 World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the global water crisis while calling on all to value, protect and safeguard our water resources. It also calls on the whole world to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

According to the Executive Secretary of Coniwas, Basilia Nanbigne, in a press statement indicated “As we celebrate together with the world, CONIWAS will like to join the global call to urge Ghanaians to value and protect our Water resources. As we recognize the different values of water due to the multiple uses it has, CONIWAS still wishes to draw attention of the public to the inequalities associated with water delivery which is still very inherent in our system”.

She also maintained that World Water Day in 2021, just like in 2020 is being celebrated amidst the COVID 19 pandemic, it heartwarming to know that 80% of Ghanaians have access to safe drinking water (MICS 2017/2018), however a pandemic such as COVID-19 underscores the importance of providing safe water for all as stipulated in SDG 6.

In spite of government’s efforts towards preventing the spread of COVID-19 significant efforts are required to ensure that all Ghanaians have adequate access to safe water for different purposes but particularly for hand hygiene amidst the pandemic, she noted.

The release also revealed that WASH Services infrastructure, whether in urban, rural or peri-urban communities are poorly developed and there are many locations in Ghana where people do not benefit from these services. About a third of rural communities do not have access to safe water because of inadequate investment.

Issues relating to poor operations and maintenance of facilities in rural communities and small towns have rendered WASH facilities inoperable and therefore cannot provide the required service levels needed by the people.

Furthermore, the release also stated that as schools across the country re-opens, it is important to ensure that schools have access to regular safe water supply sources and improved toilets.

A lack of these facilities will result in poor hygienic practices leading to increased risk water and sanitation-related diseases. About 31% of primary schools and 28% of pre-primary schools either do not have water facilities or have an unimproved water facility.

It is to this end that CONIWAS is calling on government to prioritize and refocus the WASH sector not only as an “Essential Services” sector but a sector strengthened to work towards Leaving No One Behind at all times and not only during emergency situations.

Human Rights to WASH services geared towards eliminating inequality and leaving no one behind must become a priority of Ghana and situated in all WASH Sector Policies and programmes, and should guide allocations of resources to the sector, the statement added.