CONIWAS Commends Government for Signing Ghana’s Presidential Compact on WASH.
On August 28, 2028, Ghana signed a Presidential Compact on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), elevating WASH initiatives to a top priority. The compact seeks to; provide strong leadership for optimal WASH outcomes in Ghana, strengthen institutions and partnerships for resilient WASH systems, overcome inertia to accelerate progress on SDG-6 and related SDGs and renew initiatives addressing climate change and environmental concerns.
Implementing this compact will ensure that WASH services are accessible to every community, particularly those that are hard to reach, including schools and healthcare facilities.
Context
Ghana’s development goals are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The vision for WASH under SDG 6 is to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” by 2030. The Government of Ghana is committed to achieving all its sanitation and water targets by 2030. The national vision for the water and sanitation sector is to provide “sustainable basic water and sanitation services for all by 2030.” This is detailed in the Ghana WASH Sector Development Programme (GWASHSDP), which states that “all people living in Ghana should have access to adequate, safe, affordable, and reliable basic water services, practice safe sanitation and hygiene, and ensure sustainable management of water resources” (GWASHSDP, 2021-2030).
Ghana has undergone a series of reforms in the WASH sector to enhance access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services across the country. Clear policies and various commitments have been established to prioritize WASH delivery. In 2010, Ghana signed its first WASH Compact, anchored at the ministerial level and aimed at bolstering the country’s efforts to achieve WASH and other development goals.
In response to global developments, the country has also developed or revised its policies and strategies to address its WASH needs. In 2023, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) published the Ghana WASH Sector Development Programme (GWASHSDP) for 2021-2030 and the revised National Water Policy in July 2024. Additionally, the Ministry is finalizing the updated National Environmental Sanitation Policy and related strategies to align with SDG standards and national goals, while also implementing necessary institutional and funding restructuring proposed by the government. These documents are designed to serve as a guide for accelerating progress toward achieving SDG 6. Despite this impressive progress, there is still more to be done.
Why we need a WASH Compact in Ghana at the Highest Political Level
Ghana has made notable strides in water provision, with 87.7% of households having access to basic water services. However, progress in sanitation access is considerably slower, with only 25.3 % of households enjoying basic sanitation facilities (PHC 2021). There are significant disparities in access based on geographical regions and socio-economic factors. 18% of Ghanaians still defecate in the open. Furthermore, the current funding for the sector leaves a substantial gap that hinders the achievement of universal access.
With barely five years to 2030, Ghana needs to set ambitious targets, backed with adequate funding disbursements to reach SDG 6. An analysis by the NDPC indicates that SDG 6 is one of the most interconnected goals and crucial for achieving about 132 targets of the 169 targets across the other global goals. Additionally, meeting the sanitation indicators creates a trade-off for 32 additional indicators from various SDG targets. This analysis shows that achieving SDG 6 will facilitate progress on many other SDG indicators for Ghana. Therefore, this is a critical time to prioritize and invest in WASH initiatives.
Ghana’s commitment to a presidential compact on WASH is therefore timely. The compact aims to invest US$1.7 billion annually in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives until 2030. It commits to establishing a National Sanitation Authority to assist the government in eliminating open defecation by 2030, specifically targeting hard-to-reach areas, and ensure the development of climate-resilient WASH infrastructure and services, among other objectives to enhance universal access to WASH. Hopefully, the promised annual investments in this Compact will be a reality.
Conclusion
This compact signifies more than just a document; it represents a solemn commitment—a pact among the government, civil society, development partners, the private sector, and the people of Ghana to prioritize WASH not only as a fundamental human right but also as a vital aspect of our national development agenda. It serves as a strategic framework, clearly outlining the connections between WASH and other vital sectors such as health, education, and climate resilience.
The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) applauds Ghana for this achievement but is also determined to hold the Government accountable for implementing this Compact to the latter.
We express our appreciation to the Government of Ghana, particularly the dynamic leadership of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources for this laudable achievement. As we pledge our support for this compact, we urge all other partners to collaborate with the government and other stakeholders to realize the ambitions of the compact. In particular, we call on Development Partners and NGOs to create a “Country Support Package” as a transparent mechanism for resource mobilization to aid this ambitious initiative aimed at achieving SDG 6. And with less than 6 years to the SDGs, the time for action is now.
Executive Secretary
About CONIWAS
The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) is a membership-based umbrella CSO formed in 2003 to advocate for improved access to WASH services by the poor vulnerable and marginalized population, especially women and children. CONIWAS engages in WASH Sector activities using evidence-based actions gathered through its research agenda and experiences from its members most of whom support the citizenry with WASH Services at regional and local government levels. Membership of CONIWAS currently stands at 90 and is spread throughout the country.
