Govt to Scale Up Innovation and Partnerships to Achieve Universal WASH Access
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, says government will intensify innovation, partnerships and deliberate investment to ensure universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services across the country.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 MOLE WASH Conference in the Central Region, the Minister stressed that the country’s progress in WASH will depend on coordinated action rather than scattered, short-term initiatives.
“The future of sustainable WASH service delivery will not come from fragmented efforts or isolated pilot projects,” he said. “Our approach must be intentional, collaborative and focused on lasting change for all, especially the poorest and most underserved.”
He highlighted recent successful interventions where communities, traditional authorities and local government assemblies worked together to improve local WASH systems and protect natural water sources. According to him, these examples show that progress is achievable when communities take ownership and strategies are aligned with real needs.
However, Ibrahim acknowledged that Ghana continues to face significant challenges. Rapid urbanization is outpacing the expansion of water and sanitation infrastructure, while climate impacts are increasingly evident. Flooding in Accra and other cities, coastal erosion, and prolonged dry seasons in the northern regions are all affecting water security.
“These realities remind us that we must act with urgency. WASH is essential for public health, economic productivity and community resilience. We must therefore strengthen partnerships and scale solutions that work,” he stated.
The weeklong MOLE Conference brings together government agencies, civil society, development partners and private sector actors to deliberate on policies, financing models and practical innovations to accelerate universal access to WASH services.
