Ghana will achieve SDG on Sanitation
A Senior Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Advisor to SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Mr Jesse Coffie Danku says Ghana is likely to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on sanitation.
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SDG 6 touches on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030
According to Mr Danku, strategic measures are being initiated by the government and its stakeholders in the WASH sector to ensure that Ghana attains the SDG on Sanitation.
He said this in an interview with Daily Graphic on the sidelines of a media training workshop in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
He said initiatives such as the establishment of the Ministry of Sanitation and the engagement of other stakeholders to help improve the sanitation situation in the country as a headway.
He was of the view that although currently, the sanitation conditions in Ghana seem grim, he said with the necessary mechanisms in place the nation will achieve the goal.
The training
Participants
The three day workshop was organised by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, a non- governmental organization, to train journalists on developmental reporting and on "The Voice for Change Partnership Programme (V4C)".
Voice for change Partnership programme
The V4C is a five year programme launched a year ago by the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in partnership with the International Food And Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
According to Mr Danku, the project is an evidence based advocacy programme implemented in six countries including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Rwanda, Indonesia and Honduras which aims at strengthening Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to advocate for an enabling environment in which governments and businesses provide good and affordable services for low-income segments in society.
Focus
In his welcome address Mr Danku said the V4C programme was focused on three areas namely Food and Nutrition Security, Renewable Energy and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
He said the WASH component seeks to increase equity and access to sustainable, equitable and affordable sanitation services and products whilst the Food and Nutrition Security was focusing on sustainable Nutrition for all (SN4A) with emphasis on Gender and Nutrition Sensitive Value Chains and also on Post – Harvest losses and Food Safety.
He explained that the other component which is energy, would focus on improving Climate Change through the promotion of access to renewable energy for all, increasing access to clean cooking and heating as well as off-grid electrification.
The V4C programme, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (DGIS) also seeks to improve capacities to design and plans that would be funded and supported by IFPRI.
Fairness
Mr Charles Mawusi training the media on developmental reporting
For his part, a Media Consultant of Trans Media Network, Mr Charles Mawusi charged journalists to ensure fairness, accuracy and objectivity in their reportage.
He advised the participants to highlight the impact of issues on the public rather than being vindictive.
He urged them to appeal to the emotions and the conscience of the public through their reportage to achieve behavioral change.
The training workshop is the second edition organised by the organisation in a year. The maiden workshop on the V4C Partnership Programme for the media was organised by SNV in November, 2016 at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.
Participants in the first edition testified to how useful the first workshop was to them and how it had impact on their reportage.
