Govt urged to increase investment in water,sanitation
The government has been urged to increase investments in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues, to propel the needed development in communities.
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The Communications and Campaigns Officer of Water Aid, Ms Yvonne Kafui Nyaku, made the call in Bolgatanga at a workshop with the media to deliberate on water and sanitation issues.
Ms Nyaku said even though Ghana made strides in water coverage and exceeded the MDGs targets in access to water, it should not be complacent.
She reiterated that WASH remained a critical issue in the development agenda and that achievements in universal coverage of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target for 2030 required more commitments.
The communications and campaigns officer in an earlier presentation revealed that 840 million people globally did not have access to clean water and stressed that even where there was access there was still inequalities between the rich and poor, able and disabled people.
Research
She said Water Aid’s research revealed that 14 per cent of Ghanaians had no access to water while two million people living in rural areas resorted to the use of unsafe water and facilities.
She stated that 93 per cent of people living in urban areas and 84 per cent of rural dwellers in Ghana had access to water.
Ms Nyaku said 85 per cent of Ghanaians did not have access to basic toilets while 60 per cent of the people shared toilets and 19 per cent engaged in open defecation.
She said WASH issues were political and indicated that when there was universal coverage for water and sanitation, development would be propelled in all communities, and therefore called on government to prioritise WASH by resourcing the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to conscientise communities on the issues and help them to have access to toilets. — GNA
