Accra: Mr. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, the Minister of Works, Housing, and Water Resources, has officially inaugurated the Board of Directors for the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) aimed at enhancing rural water supply and ensuring its sustainability. The Board, comprising members from Ghana Water Limited, Safe Water Network, CWSA, the Ministry, and private legal practitioners, is tasked with addressing significant structural deficiencies in rural water systems.
According to Ghana News Agency, the newly appointed board members include Alhaji Mahamadu Attah Nantogmah, Mr. Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, Mr. Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese, Akwettey Sampson, Ms. Alberta Siaw Kwarko, Mr. Mark Owusu, Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Mrs. Regina Atsutse, and James Monney. The Minister highlighted the challenges faced by community-managed water systems, including insufficient technical expertise, revenue collection issues, inadequate maintenance, and limited regulatory oversight.
The Minister referred to a recent diagnostic assessment in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector that revealed approximately 35 percent of rural water systems are either non-functional or only partially operational, with some districts experiencing rates exceeding 45 percent. This underscores the urgent need for institutional reform and professionalization in rural water service delivery.
Additionally, the Minister pointed out that of over 30,000 boreholes in Ghana, many are non-functional due to maintenance issues, lack of spare parts, and inadequate oversight. He emphasized the necessity of ensuring the sustainability of rural water supply services and called for the integration of sustainability in new water projects' engineering and financial planning.
Mr. Adjei urged the Board to identify and secure resources to strengthen CWSA operations, advocating for public-private partnerships, climate adaptation funds, and blended finance mechanisms. He also stressed the importance of strategic guidance, risk management, and innovation to protect the public interest.
Alhaji Mahamadu Attah Nantogmah, the Chairperson of the Board, expressed gratitude for his appointment and committed to working within the government's framework to address the challenges in rural water supply. He pledged cooperation with stakeholders to improve collection and auditing processes and deliver positive outcomes.