By Stephen Asante
Accra, March 24, GNA – The Government of Ghana is strengthening collaboration with development partners and stakeholders to expand access to safe drinking water and strengthen sanitation systems.
Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, said that path was the way to go as the country pursued integrated water resource management to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Ghana was bent on meeting the Sustainable Development Goal Six by 2030, the Minister declared while addressing a ceremony to mark this year’s World Water Day, in Accra.
It is estimated that between 87.7 per cent to 92 per cent of households in the country currently have access to basic drinking water services, while approximately 25 per cent to 29 per cent of households also have access to basic sanitation services.
According to the Global Women Development Promoters, an international non-governmental organisation, as of 2025, hygiene levels in Ghana showed significant disparities between urban and rural areas, with approximately 45.5 per cent of the national population having access to basic hygiene services.
Mr Adjei said access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation services, and to adequate water supplies for various other purposes, was essential for the fulfilment of the most basic needs and fundamental aspirations of all human beings.
“When access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is lacking, women and girls often disproportionally bear the responsibility for providing water to households.
“Every day, countless women and young girls walk long distances in search of water for their households. This task consumes valuable time and energy, time that could otherwise be spent in school, at work or participating in community leadership,” he noted.
The Minister said that scenario ought to be critically looked at since women were generally under-represented in the governance and management of water supplies, including financing and water-related infrastructural development.
“These challenges require not only government action, but a collective responsibility. At the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, we remain steadfast in our determination to accelerate transformative change.
“Our development agenda is anchored on sustainable water management practices that underscore equity, efficiency, resilience and environmental stewardship,” the Minister noted.
Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in a message read on her behalf, said the government recognised that equitable access to water was essential for social protection, poverty reduction, and inclusive development.
She pointed out that through programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) and other social protection initiatives, the government continued to support vulnerable households in the country in many ways.
“However, we also recognise that sustainable development cannot be achieved without reliable access to safe water and sanitation. Improving water access will help enhance girls’ school attendance and retention, improve maternal and child health outcomes, strengthen women’s economic participation, and promote community wellbeing and resilience,” she stated.
The Minister said partnerships across all sectors were critical to positive national development, adding that the Ministry had been engaging in policy dialogues, community outreach programmes, school engagements, media campaigns, and exhibitions to mark the 2026 World Water Day.
This year’s World Water Day was marked on the theme: “Water and Gender”.
The national event was hosted by Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, bringing together stakeholders to discuss the state of the country’s water and sanitation sectors, and proffer viable solutions to ensure the promotion of integrated water resource management.
GNA
24 March 2026
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong