By Frank Kwame Abbor
Ho, Aug. 22, GNA – The Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC), in partnership with the Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) would on Sunday, August 24, 2025, host a high-level Volta Water and Sanitation Dialogue (VWSD) in Ho to address systemic challenges in water and sanitation delivery across the region.
The dialogue, which would be held at the Stevens Hotel, is on the theme: “Building resilient water and sanitation systems in the Volta Region; the role of relevant stakeholders.”
Mr. James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister, will serve as the Special Guest of Honour.
He is expected to outline the government’s strategic “Water for All Initiative,” aimed at ensuring that no community in the region is left behind in accessing clean water and adequate sanitation.
The event is designed to bring together a cross-section of stakeholders including Members of Parliament, District Chief Executives, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), traditional leaders, development partners, and private sector actors to co-create practical solutions.
Organisers say the forum will provide a platform to share experiences, identify context-specific challenges, and explore innovative strategies to accelerate access to safe water and sanitation in line with Sustainable Development Goal Six (SDG 6).
“Access to clean water and adequate sanitation remains a critical challenge in the Volta Region. Despite progress made under the SDGs, too many communities still lack basic facilities,” a statement from Mr. Richard Kasu, Executive Director, CFF-Ghana said.
According to the Ghana Statistical Service (2021), 35 percent of the rural population in the Volta Region lacks access to safe drinking water, while 58 percent continue to practice open defecation due to inadequate sanitation infrastructure.
The situation has contributed to recurring outbreaks of cholera, diarrhoea, and other water-borne diseases, disproportionately affecting children under five years old. UNICEF Ghana (2022) also cites contaminated water sources, seasonal droughts, and poor waste management as major public health risks.
“The unique geographical challenges of the region including coastal erosion, flooding, and dispersed rural communities – mean we need tailored and coordinated solutions,” Mr. Kasu, Executive Director of CFF-Ghana, said.
The dialogue will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, group work, and plenary sessions. Stakeholders will deliberate on themes such as service sustainability, community management, financing mechanisms, behavioural change, and policy gaps.
One of the expected outcomes is the drafting of a communiqué outlining agreed recommendations and commitments, alongside mechanisms for monitoring progress by all participating institutions.
Organizers believe the forum will not only build consensus but also foster stronger partnerships across government, civil society, and the private sector to mobilize resources for long-term solutions.
The VRCC emphasized that the dialogue is part of a broader regional effort to address fragmented coordination and insufficient funding that have hindered past interventions.
Ultimately, the initiative aims to strengthen accountability, raise public awareness, and catalyze collective action to improve the health, dignity, and livelihoods of residents across the Volta Region.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah