The Coalition of NGOs in the Water and Sanitation Sector (CONIWAS) has said that Ghana need to double efforts to attain the expected universal access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) by 2030.
“The deadline to account for the SDGs to Ghanaians and the international community is fast approaching with several relevant adjustments still yet to be made towards the goal,” it said.
This was in a communique issued at the end of the Coalition’s 29th Annual Mole Conference on the theme: “Reforming Ghana’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector Towards Universal Access” at Sogakope in the Volta Region.
It underscored the need for relevant quick adjustments in areas of structures, policies, strategies, plans and attitudes as spelt out in the WASH sector requirement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The conference called for relevant reforms in institutional re-alignment, sector policies, localising SDG 6 for a sustainable-all-level financing and integrity, social accountability and performance monitoring.
The communique stated the readiness of CONIWAS to supporting the needed institutional re-alignment by advocating for the activation of the sector working group and coordinating structures for accelerated WASH service delivery.
The communique said the Coalition would also lend support to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to reform and align rural water supply schemes to the SDG model and push for institutional re-alignment within the sector for sub-national levels accountability improvement.
It said the Coalition would be at the forefront in mobilising critical mass of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for functional local leadership, develop capacities and expose gaps in judicious resource use, quality and timely service delivery, rights and entitlements, public participation and satisfaction, key points in meeting the universal access.
Martin Dery, who was retained as CONIWAS Chairman at the conference for the next four years, urged members to remain focused and help the WASH sector attain the SDG-6 for the rural and vulnerable poor.
The conference attracted about 130 participants from CSOs, government, the media and development partners, including the World Bank, Water Aid, Plan Ghana, World Vision International (WVI), Canada, Global Community and UNICEF, the lead sponsor.
