Accra: Stakeholders in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene have held a day's summit to brainstorm and share ideas on how to improve water accessibility and sanitation. They also highlighted their experiences and challenges and strategized on the way forward.
According to Ghana News Agency, the summit, initiated by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ecobank, CEWAS, Young Water Solutions, SkyFox Limited, and World Vision, attracted over 50 participants from water, sanitation, and hygiene organizations. It was themed: 'Shaping the Future of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Entrepreneurship in Ghana. Navigating Opportunities. I Building Ecosystems.'
The Nsupreneurs Summit is a platform designed to bring together key stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector, including entrepreneurs, financiers, experts, and policymakers, to discuss the current landscape and explore opportunities for collaboration and growth in the sector. Juliette Gabrion of Young Water Solutions outlined the objectives of the summit, emphasizing the promotion of entrepreneurship as a driver for universal access to clean water and sanitation and the highlighting of key challenges in the sector, including finance, policy, and technical support.
In a speech read on his behalf, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, mentioned that the government last year signed a Presidential compact aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goal six. Plans are underway to update policies on sanitation and the environment. He called on stakeholders in both public and private sectors to support the government in bridging the gap between ideas and implementation.
Madam Charlotte Amanquah, Regional Head, Commercial Banking, Awa, Ecobank, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to host the summit. She assured that Ecobank is committed to supporting initiatives that advance SDG 6 and advocated for a holistic approach to achieving water, sanitation, and hygiene goals.
Marlies Batterink of CEWAS suggested a shift in focus from universities to senior high schools to 'catch them young,' proposing internship opportunities in WASH to increase student enthusiasm. Mr. Yaw Attah Arhin, a WASH Specialist at World Vision, highlighted the summit's role in providing opportunities for enterprises to share experiences and network for improvement. He stressed the critical nature of water, sanitation, and hygiene issues to human existence and the importance of the summit in raising awareness.
The summit included a panel discussion on the innovative financing landscape for WASH enterprises in Ghana, from ideation to acceleration, and a pitching session for some entrepreneurs. Under the Hackathon awards, some enterprises received support to achieve their targets.
