By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Ada(GA), Nov. 2, GNA – The 37th Mole Conference has outlined a four-pathway agenda to address persistent inequalities in access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
These pillars have a strong focus on climate-resilient services, sustainable financing and inclusive delivery to underserved communities and would reposition Ghana’s WASH sector to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Six target of universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
The conference under the theme: “Accelerating Climate-Resilient WASH Service Delivery for Last-Mile Communities: Options, Strategies and Actions, “is expected to generate practical recommendations to address financing gaps, governance challenges and service delivery inequalities.
The conference brought together stakeholders from government ministries, departments and agencies, MMDAs, traditional authorities, development partners, academia, research institutions, civil society organisations, the private sector, media, regulatory institutions, community groups and financial institutions.
The six-day conference had been organised by the Ghana Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), under the chairmanship of Dr Beata Awinpoka Akanyani.
Meanwhile, the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe), led by Mr. Ameyibor with support from World Vision Ghana, is providing strategic communication and media engagement to enhance national visibility and citizen participation.
The four sub-themes focused on political leadership and accountability, sustainable and innovative financing, inclusive service delivery options and innovations, and climate-resilient WASH in institutions and public spaces.
Under the political leadership and accountability pathway, participants would examine how government commitments and resource allocations could translate into tangible improvements in underserved communities.
Attention would be given to the 10 per cent District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocations for water and another 10 per cent for sanitation, including measures to ensure effective utilisation and accountability.
The second pathway, sustainable and innovative financing, addresses the estimated US$1.7 billion required annually to achieve Ghana’s WASH targets by 2030, according to the Ghana WASH Sector Development Programme.
The discussions would also address the financing of post-construction operation and maintenance, a major challenge affecting the sustainability and functionality of rural water systems.
The third pathway examined inclusive service delivery models that respond to the peculiar challenges of last-mile communities.
It would explore appropriate technologies, professionalised rural water services, sanitation marketing, faecal sludge management, hygiene behaviour change, digital solutions and community-based management systems.
The Conference, would also prioritise gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and poverty-sensitive approaches to ensure that access to WASH services was not determined by location, economic status or physical ability.
On climate-resilient WASH services in institutions and public spaces; schools, healthcare facilities, markets, lorry parks and transport terminals, it would examine how flooding, droughts and heatwaves threaten water resources, damage infrastructure, increase contamination risks and contribute to disease outbreaks.
Other priority areas are water, sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities, infection prevention and control, school sanitation, menstrual hygiene, learner wellbeing, waste management and inclusive access to public facilities.
Speaking to M-CODe, Dr Akanyani said the conference format, comprising plenary sessions, expert panels, facilitated group discussions, verbal and poster presentations, exhibitions and side events for start-ups and innovators, was designed to encourage practical engagement and generate concrete recommendations for the sector.
She said the discussions would contribute to building a harmonised and regulated WASH sector capable of responding to emerging development and climate challenges.
“The 37th edition is about ensuring that no community is left behind because of where they live, their ability to pay, or the changing climate,” Dr Akanyani stressed.
The conference was expected to produce a communiqué containing recommendations to inform national policy, MMDA planning and Ghana’s roadmap towards achieving SDG Six on clean water and sanitation for all.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga /Kenneth Odeng Adade
Mildred Siabi-Mensah