CONIWAS Urges Political Parties to Embed WASH in Budget Planning.

Accra: The Coalition of NGOs in the Water and Sanitation Sector (CONIWAS) has urged all political parties to incorporate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) policies in their budget planning and to allocate adequate funds for the implementation of quality WASH facilities. The Coalition emphasized that this aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal six, which aims for universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.According to Ghana News Agency, during a dissemination and media engagement on CONIWAS's WASH manifesto, the Coalition highlighted Ghana's challenges in achieving SDG 6, emphasizing disparities in water and sanitation access. It called for policies to enhance WASH access in healthcare, education, and communities, linking it to economic growth and public health.Speaking at the event, Mrs. Basilia Nanbigne, Executive Secretary of CONIWAS, noted that 87.7 percent of the Ghanaian population had access to basic water services, while sanitation access stood at 25.3 percent, with widespread open defecation. She stressed the importance of making WASH a policy priority at all levels for any ruling party and developing effective WASH policies to ensure access to clean water for all Ghanaians.Mrs. Nanbigne also highlighted the need for political parties to secure consistent funding for WASH, promote monitoring and accountability frameworks, and advocate as WASH ambassadors. In ensuring the effectiveness of the government's role in the WASH sector, the Coalition plans to deploy targeted institutional alignment, monitoring, and evaluation to promote WASH as part of development.Mrs. Esi BoninMorkla, Senior Environmental Health Analyst at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, also called for the prioritization of WASH for schools, agriculture, and health centers as critical to the country's growth. She emphasized the importance of stakeholders advocating for WASH facilities nationwide to achieve the SDGs before 2030.The manifesto of CONIWAS on WASH seeks commitments from leaders to ensu re equitable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, stressing that WASH is not a privilege but a fundamental human right and a cornerstone for Ghana's sustainable development. Stakeholders, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations present at the event expressed concern over the issues and lauded CONIWAS for its efforts to tackle water and sanitation challenges in the country.