As Ghana joins the world to commemorate World Water Day, an advocacy organization, World Vision is calling on government to prioritize the supply of potable water to every part of the country.
According to them, though government and other stakeholders have made significant strides in the provision of water, some six million children and their families still lack access to safe water.
In a statement issued by WASH Technical Project Coordinator at World Vision, Attah Arhin, he noted that the inequalities associated with access to potable water must be addressed.
“As we celebrate World Water Day 2021, World Vision Ghana wishes to congratulate the government, development partners, NGOs/CSOs, private sector and other non-state actors for working hard to ensure that 80% of Ghana’s population has access to safe drinking water (MICS 2017/18). We, however, need to remind ourselves, that while we have made some strides, some six million children and their families still lack access to safe water”.
“We also need to pay attention to water quality and the inequalities associated with access. The 2017/18 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey report reveals that close to 8 in every 10 households had E-coli (faecal contamination) in their drinking water while close to 5 out of 10 water sources were also affected. The same report also reveals clear wealth disparity in basic water access, with the wealthy nearly twice more likely to have access than the poor do. Additionally, urban dwellers are more likely to have basic access than those from rural areas”.
Mr. Arhin asked that schools and health care facilities must receive regular supply of water.
“As believers in a better world for children, World Vision lives and works in communities to co-create water, sanitation and hygiene solutions that last. We believe that nothing can be more important to child wellbeing than access to safe drinking water. Globally, the organization is the largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the developing world, reaching a new person with safe water every 10 seconds”.
”World Vision reiterates its commitment to partnering government, private sector, NGOs/CSOs and other stakeholders towards increased access to safe water”.
“We join practitioners in the water and sanitation sub-sector, and all Ghanaians, in calling on the Government of Ghana to do the following, as a matter of urgency: Prioritize and increase investments to ensure that every child everywhere has access to safe water; Explore and invest in alternative water supply systems where underground water is not feasible; Take immediate steps to address water quality challenges, both at the source and in households including those identified in the 2017/18 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey report; Pay attention to the delivery of safe water in schools and healthcare facilities in order to create a conducive environment for quality education and healthcare. Create the enabling environment required to implement policies that will ensure the sustainable management of water supply systems”.
Source: Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
