By Benjamin Mensah
Accra, June 07, GNA- Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, has officially launched in Accra the sixth edition of the School Sanitation Solutions (Triple S) Challenge competition.
Mr. Kweku Quansah, Head, Environmental Health and Management of the Ministry of Local Government Culture and Religious Affairs launched the competition on behalf of the sector minister.
He stressed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as driving forces for national development.
The competition, organised by World Vision Ghana (WVG) and some partners, is inviting pupils from Primary Six to Junior High School (JHS) Two to co-create sustainable solutions and advocate improved sanitation in schools, communities, and public spaces.
It is also calling on government stakeholders to prioritise WASH in schools.
Contestants are expected to describe how sanitation problems adversely affect teaching and communities, based on a topic to be announced in the newspapers and social media.
It is taking place in all the 16 regions of Ghana, which have been put into five zones.
The launch, held on the theme “Empowering Children to Co-create Sustainable Sanitation Solutions,” is a significant initiative by World Vision Ghana and partners to promote child participation in water, sanitation, and hygiene programming.
The overall objective of the School Sanitation Solutions Challenge is to utilise the creative potential of children to address Ghana’s sanitation challenges.
Specifically, the Challenge seeks to influence children to cultivate keen interest in environmental sanitation, become sanitation conscious and agents of change, while empowering them to co-create sustainable sanitation solutions and advocating the removal of barriers towards increased access to sanitation.
The ultimate winner would be declared Child Sanitation Diplomat in September, with prizes, including possible foreign trips for the winner and the school represented.
The runners up and their schools would also be recognised with prizes.
At the launch, Mr. Ibrahim stressed that it was in the interest of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to prioritise sanitation.
He urged them to give emphasis to sanitation and create a platform for the youth to support advocacy programs.
Mr. Yaw Atta- Arhin, Technical Specialist for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), WVG gave gloomy statistics about the availability of toilet facilities in public and private Basic Schools in Ghana.
He stated: “You can’t carry a toilet facility to a school,” noting that there was a missing link in children not participating in WASH service delivery.
He gave assurance that the WVG would build capacity for children to co-create WASH solutions to influence policies and advocate for the removal of barriers for improving sanitation.
Mr. Atta-Arhin announced that the organisers are considering organising the competition at the secondary and tertiary levels of education.
A platform for past winners of the competition was unveiled at the launch.
The past winners are Neriah Tettey of Silicon Valley International School, Ofankor, Accra; Naziru Mawadatu of Damongo Girls Model JHS; Maame Akua Ohenewaa Gyimah of Dawhenya Methodist ‘B’ Basic School; and Adjoa Gyakoa Appiah-kubi of Efutu MA Basic School in Cape Coast.
Abdul Yazid Faraj Timtoni Wumbei, of Grace Holy Child Academy in Tamale, is the reigning champion.
The organisers introduced the contest, now at three stages in the year 2020 as an initiative developed by the WVG, in collaboration with Kings Hall Media Limited, the Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and the Zoomlion Foundation, among others.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade