By Shine Esi Kwawukumey
Accra, May 25, GNA – Africa’s worsening water and sanitation challenges could undermine public health, food security and long-term development if urgent action is not taken, experts at the 2026 African Academic Heritage Fair have warned.
The fair, organised by the Association of African Universities and powered by AAU TV, was held on the theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
Prof. Ezrah Aharone, Founder and Chairman of the Centre for Global Africa, said Africa’s water challenges had become issues of sovereignty and survival, not just environmental concerns.
“Water security, sanitation and sustainability are, in essence, 21st-century issues of African sovereignty,” he said.
He noted that successful civilisations had historically depended on strong water systems and environmental stewardship, adding that “when societies decline, water systems also fail.”
Prof. Aharone urged African universities to become “solution centres” and innovation hubs capable of producing practical technologies and research to address sanitation and climate-related problems.
Prof. Kehinde Ogunjobi of the International Water Management Institute said climate change was causing rapid warming, erratic rainfall and severe flooding across West Africa, increasing pressure on water systems.
“The continent will miss Sustainable Development Goal Six if the current pace continues,” he warned.
Participants blamed illegal mining, poor waste disposal and weak enforcement of sanitation laws for worsening pollution and flooding in many African cities and rural communities.
Eng. Dr Ahmed Issahaku of Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited said Ghana needed integrated, long-term planning for water management and wastewater treatment.
“We have to first understand what the problem is, then we can bring an integrated solution,” he said.
The programme ended with a call for African-led and community-owned solutions, as stakeholders pledged deeper collaboration to address the continent’s water and sanitation challenges.
GNA
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong