Mole XXXIII WASH Conference is not an avenue for lamentation but to find solutions – Attah Arhin

Chairman of the Coalition of Non-Governmental (NGOs) in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), Mr. Yaw Attah Arhin, has called participants and stakeholders in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector to be mindful that the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference is not the time for lamentations but rather the time for solutions to the mirage of challenges facing the sector.

Mr. Attah Arhin made the call during his welcome address at the five-day Mole XXXIII WASH Conference which is currently underway at the Elmina Beach Resort, in the Central Region.

He again admonished all stakeholders to resolve and act on the critical issues confronting Ghana’s water and sanitation sector, including the wanton pollution of Ghana’s water bodies with careless abandon through Galamsey, Sand-winning and other nefarious activities, Limited access to safe drinking water in homes, schools, healthcare facilities and other public places among others.

Mr. Attah Arhin explained that the theme for the 2022 Mole WASH Conference “Ghana’s Commitment to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Connecting Systems to Bridge the Service Delivery Gaps” has been carefully selected to reflect the complex mix of interventions and the systems required to deliver sustainable WASH services to the good people of Ghana, particularly the poor and vulnerable.

“While discussing the systems, approaches, and models of WASH services delivery and how to connect these systems to bridge service delivery gaps, the conference this year will be hoping to achieve the following specific objectives:

1. Reflect on Ghana’s WASH commitments towards achieving national and SDG 6 targets for water, sanitation, and hygiene in the country.
2. Explore area-wide approaches that address equity concerns and promote sustainable WASH service delivery for everyone everywhere.
3. Discuss options for delivering sustainable WASH services to deprived and underserved communities in Ghana.
4. Highlight cutting-edge partnerships with education, health, economic and environmental sectors in delivering cost-effective, affordable, and inclusive WASH services.
5. Review existing innovative financing approaches that are inclusive and self-sustaining.
6. Explore appropriate technology and innovations for delivering WASH services in an equitable and inclusive manner.
7. Develop practical and actionable recommendations for accelerating access to sustainable WASH services.” The Chairman of CONIWAS disclosed.

The Mole Conference Series is one of Africa’s longest-running Civil Society Organisation (CSO) led, multi-stakeholder conferences on water and sanitation.

Below is the full speech by the Chairman of CONIWAS

Welcome from the Chairman

On behalf of the Executive Committee, the Council of Elders, the Planning Committee, the Secretariat and the entire membership of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), I have pleasure in welcoming you all to the 33^rd edition of the Mole Conference Series. A special welcome to those who are participating for the first time in one of Africa’s longest running CSO-led, multi-stakeholder conference on water and sanitation.

I thank the hardworking Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Deputy Minister, the Chief Director and the team at the Ministry for always working with us and supporting us in all our undertakings to improve the lot of the sector.

The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin extends his best wishes. The No. 3 Gentleman of the land personally called to wish us well when he got to know that we were attending the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference this week. He has also expressed his desire to join us next year, God willing, for Mole XXXIV.

Nana Chairman, consistent with the coalition’s mission of working with citizens and relevant stakeholders to influence policies, remove barriers and promote access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene for the poor and vulnerable, this year’s conference will continue the national dialogue aimed at changing the narrative regarding the approach to the delivery of sustainable WASH services in Ghana.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the theme for the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference Ghana’s Commitment to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Connecting Systems to Bridge the Service Delivery Gaps has been carefully selected to reflect the complex mix of interventions and the systems required to deliver sustainable WASH services to the good people of Ghana, particularly the poor and vulnerable.

While discussing the systems, approaches, and models of WASH services delivery and how to connect these systems to bridge service delivery gaps, conference this year will be hoping to achieve the following specific objectives:

1. Reflect on Ghana’s WASH commitments towards achieving national and SDG 6 targets for water, sanitation, and hygiene in the country.
2. Explore area-wide approaches that address equity concerns and promote sustainable WASH service delivery for everyone everywhere.
3. Discuss options for delivering sustainable WASH services to deprived and underserved communities in Ghana.
4. Highlight cutting edge partnerships with education, health, economic and environmental sectors in delivering cost effective, affordable, and inclusive WASH services.
5. Review existing innovative financing approaches that are inclusive and self-sustaining.
6. Explore appropriate technology and innovations for delivering WASH services in an equitable and inclusive manner.
7. Develop practical and actionable recommendations for accelerating access to sustainable WASH services.

Coming after IRC’s well organized and well patronized All systems Go Africa Symposium held for the first time in Ghana with support from UNICEF and the Ministry, this Mole XXXIII Conference is expected to help us deepen the discourse, take the key decisions forward and consolidate the gains.

Nana chairman, may I remind participants that the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference is not the time for LAMENTATIONS. It is rather the time for SOLUTIONS.

After conference, we should all resolve as stakeholders to act on the critical issues confronting Ghana’s water and sanitation sector, including:

1. the wanton pollution of our water bodies with careless abandon (through Galamsey, the Sand-winning and other nefarious activities);
2. ii. Limited access to safe drinking water in homes, schools, healthcare facilities and other public places.

Here, while commending the Government of Ghana and all Development Partners for the water projects completed and initiated, I am quick to observe that most of these are in the urban and peri-urban areas. We make a popular appeal for support to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to enable its ongoing reforms succeed. Government and development partners need to adequately resource CWSA in order to sustainably increase access to safe drinking water. It is a sad commentary that since 2016 till date, provider-based access to safe drinking water in rural and small towns has stagnated at 62% after 2015 when we hit 65%.

iii.      The widening inequalities. We have taken note of the fact that while access to safe drinking water in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions is estimated at 97.6% and 94.5% respectively, access to safe drinking water in North East and Savannah Regions is estimated at 54.8% and 55.1% respectively. This widening inequality needs to be addressed with intentional measures.

74. iv. Poor access to toilets in households, schools, healthcare facilities and other public places. We find it unacceptable that in the 21^st Century, 74.7% of households in Ghana lack access to improved toilet facilities that are not shared.
75. v. Open Defecation. It is equally worrying that 17.7% of Ghana’s population still practice open defecation. And here again, the inequalities are much more pronounced – it is interesting that all 5 regions of Northern Ghana have open defecation rates higher than 50% with Savannah and Upper East Regions recording open defecation rates of 68.5% and 68.4% respectively.

In the area of solid waste management, CONIWAS wishes to commend Government for effectively partnering private sector to progressively realize the president’s vision of a clean, healthy and prosperous Ghana. The completed solid and liquid waste treatment facilities in Accra and Kumasi and the ongoing waste treatment facilities in all the regional capitals bears ample testimony to what partnership with the Private Sector can achieve. And here, I wish to single out Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong for special praise. His commitment and passion for waste management and environmental sanitation in Ghana has brought a great deal of relief to citizens.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, you will recall that during the closing ceremony last year at Anita hotel, I announced the introduction of the Ghana WASH Week to trigger an unquenchable national consciousness and greater prioritization towards improving the country’s water, sanitation and hygiene situation. I am happy to report that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and with support from UNICEF and the GAMA Sanitation and Water project, the maiden edition of the Ghana WASH Week was successfully launched with activities such as breakfast conversations, a walk for the clean Ghana Agenda, Town Hall Meetings and media engagements implemented in Accra, Kumasi the Tamale. One remarkable achievement of the Walk in Kumasi was that it reunited Lil Wayne and Dr Likee who both joined us with their teams to walk for the Clean Ghana Agenda. We look forward to working with all of you to implement the 2^nd edition of the week in 2023. Consultations have begun in earnest and we should be able to announce a date before conference ends. This will enable all of us to block the date and prepare adequately towards it.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, we wish to remind Government through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources of the establishment of the National Sanitation Authority together with the National Sanitation Fund. This is expected to be the game changer in Ghana’s environmental sanitation services delivery and we are still optimistic, in spite of the long delay, that very soon this will see the light of day.

I wish to reiterate the commitment of CONIWAS and its members to work with government, development partners, private sector, academic and research institutions and indeed all relevant stakeholders to accelerate and sustain the delivery of safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene to the good people of this country, particularly the poor and vulnerable.

We are grateful to all stakeholders for the support the coalition received during the development of our new 2030 strategy. Together with the new Advocacy Strategy and the new Resource Mobilization Strategy, we look forward to contributing more meaningfully to the WASH agenda of government and development partners and deepening our commitment to the poor and vulnerable.

My message will not be complete without acknowledging the immense contribution of the Executive Committee. Beata, Rose, Ganiyu, Eben, William, Nii and Martha have been awesome. The Council of Elders (chaired by comrade AYO Modoc), the Secretariat led by Basilia Nanbigne and the entire membership of the coalition have played useful roles towards the forward march of the coalition.

I wish to salute the Mole XXXIII Planning Committee, chaired by Beata Awinpoka Akanyani (the CONIWAS Vice Chair) for their hard work and sacrifices in putting together this conference. My God will bless you and replenish everything you may have lost on account of Mole 33.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to express our sincere appreciation to our funding partners – UNICEF and GAMA SWP our Headline sponsors, Global Communities and Ghana Water Company Limited our Platinum Sponsors, World Vision Ghana, WaterAid Ghana and Zoomlion Ghana Limited our Gold Sponsors and Catholic Relief Services, IRC, Plan International Ghana, SNV, ESPA and CWSA our Silver Sponsors whose financial support made the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference possible.

Finally, I am happy to announce that in recognition of our good efforts, CONIWAS was presented with a plague for being the MOST IMPACTFUL NON-GOVERNMENTAL NGO IN ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION PROMOTION at the recently held Ghana Environmental Sanitation (GESA) Awards. I wish to dedicate this award to all our members for keeping faith in us and supporting our various initiatives. In the same vein, I wish to congratulate Angel TV’s SESA WO SUBAN and GBC NEWS’ WASH HOUR for also picking awards.

On this note, I have the singular honour and privilege to welcome all of you to the beautiful Elmina Beach Resort and the beautiful city of Elmina. I wish you very fruitful deliberations and pray that you find your participation in the 33^rd Mole WASH Conference worthwhile.

I thank you for your attention and May the good Lord bless us all!!!

LONG LIVE THE MOLE CONFERENCE!

LONG LIVE CONIWAS!!

LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA!!!

Story: News Desk Report