36th Mole Conference Series opens in Gomoa-Fetteh
36th Mole Conference Series opens in Gomoa-Fetteh
The 36th edition of the Mole Conference Series, held annually on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), is being held in Gomoa-Fetteh, in the Central region.
The biggest annual WASH event which is currently underway in Gomao-Fetteh, is being attended by over 200 participants drawn from government agencies, academia, International and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), health professionals, traditional leaders, and the media.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), Dr. Beata Awinpoka Akanyani, has called on state and non-state actors to finalize, launch, and enforce the Environmental Sanitation Policy immediately without delay.
According to her, the policy is critical for driving coordinated action nationwide. Further delay risks stagnation in service delivery.
The Chairperson of CONIWAS appealed to government to use every means possible to protect and secure Ghana’s Water bodies for safe, accessible and sustainable for all. Saying water security is a national imperative, thus calling on regulators, MMDAs, and civil society to work together to protect water bodies, regulate extraction, and safeguard water infrastructure from pollution, degradation, and encroachment.
On the issue of WASH Financing, Dr. Awinpoka Akanyani asked the government to deliver a clear Government WASH Financing Strategy.
Dr. Beata Awinpoka Akanyani, Chairperson of CONIWAS
According to her, as external funding declines, a homegrown solution has become urgent. “We appeal to the Government of Ghana to develop and publish a transparent, inclusive, and innovative WASH financing framework that supports sustainable delivery to underserved populations.
We again call on the Government and key sector stakeholders to urgently reactivate the National Sector Working Group as the primary coordination platform for the WASH sector. Effective coordination is critical to eliminating fragmentation, aligning efforts, and ensuring sustainable impact.
We need a dynamic, enabling environment to attract private capital into the sector. We urge policymakers to remove regulatory barriers and introduce incentives that empower businesses to invest in WASH infrastructure, services, and technology at scale.
Mobilize Corporate Ghana for Long-Term WASH Investment: WASH is not a charity issue; it is an economic, health, and productivity issue. We appeal to Corporate Ghana to transition from short-term CSR to long-term WASH investment that builds resilience and drives sustainable development.
Empower Traditional and Local Stakeholders as WASH Champions: Behavioural change and local ownership are non-negotiable for sustainability. We call for deeper engagement with traditional leaders, religious institutions, and community-based actors to champion and own WASH interventions at the grassroots.
Strengthen Accountability and Oversight: We call on CONIWAS members and civil society at large to strengthen their monitoring and oversight role, especially in tracking the use of DACF allocations for WASH. Accountability must be upheld at all levels from local to national,” portions of her speech read.
Dr. Awinpoka Akanyani made a heartfelt appeal to international NGOs, development partners, private sector actors, and philanthropists to consider integrating CONIWAS member organizations into their fundraising proposals and project designs. “Many member CSOs are embedded in communities and are managing WASH systems on the ground, yet they face acute funding challenges. Their operations are stretched thin, and if this is not addressed, it will directly affect the sustainability of both existing and new WASH interventions across the country
The time to streamline our collective action is now
The time for passive commitment is over. The time for decisive, coordinated action is now. On behalf of CONIWAS and the broader WASH sector, I rise to make this urgent call—not merely for dialogue, but for delivery. Let us be bold in charting a path that secures the future of WASH in Ghana,” she reiterated.
The Mole Conference series, which represents not just an annual tradition, but a vital platform where policy, practice, innovation, and accountability converge to shape the future of Ghana’s WASH sector is organized by CONIWAS and supported by WaterAid Ghana, World Vision Ghana, Plan International Ghana, UNICEF, the World Bank, and, the Ministry of Local Government Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA), and Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources (MWHWR), among others.
The 36th edition of the Mole Conference Series, which was chaired by the Paramount Chief of Gomoa Fetteh, Nana Abor-Attah II, was on the theme “Advancing Innovation, Partnerships and Evidence for a Harmonized and Regulated WASH Sector in Ghana”
The annual Mole WASH Conference is a CSO-led multi-stakeholder platform aimed at reviewing sector performance, influencing policies, removing barriers and promoting access to sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene services.
