Increase investments in the water sector – CONIWAS asks the government

The Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Fields of Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has expressed concern over the wide range of inequalities in access to a water supply. in clean water in the country and urged the government to increase the financial resources allocated to the water sector to address the problem.

the The coalition also recommended that the government ensure that investments in the water sector prioritize the needs of the poor and vulnerable.

ODD

The vice president of CONIWAS, Mr. Atta Arhin, was entrusted last Thursday to Accra with journalists
before the commemoration of this year's World Water Day, yesterday.

March 22 has been set aside annually by the United Nations to allow countries to focus on water.

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This year's theme was "Do not leave anyone behind."

The sixth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) encourages countries to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, while Goal 10 puts emphasis on the need to reduce inequalities within countries.

Budget allocation

Mr Arhin said that in 2016, the government had allocated an amount of 305 million GHAC, including emoluments for goods and services and capital expenditure, while that in 2017 this amount had been reduced to 183 million GhSS.

In 2018, it amounted to 255 million Gh ¢ while in the 2019 budget it was reduced to 246 million GH.

"CONIWAS however noted that there was no deliberate government intention, supported by real action to counterbalance current inequities in water supply in Ghana, poor and the most vulnerable would unfortunately be left behind, "he added.

The report of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2017 and 2018 of the Statistical Service of Ghana reveals that there are large inequalities between rich and poor, between urban and rural communities, administrative regions and between educated and uneducated people in access to water.

"The rich in Ghana are 46% more likely than the poor to have more access to improved water sources. This means that, as a country, we have not put in place an adequate mechanism to protect the poor and people living in disadvantaged areas. low income communities to use unimproved drinking water sources.

"In Ghana today, if you choose to live in a rural area, you are 25% less likely to have access to improved sources of drinking water compared to a person living in a country." urban area, according to the report. This will require a deliberate program of government action to address these inequities, "said Arhin.

Consequences

According to him, such inequalities have further entrenched poverty among the poor since they were forced to spend more time fetching water than their richer counterparts.

"For example, while about 32% of people in rural areas spend More than an hour a day looking for water, city dwellers will probably spend less time searching for drinking water. The time spent searching for water can further reduce productive hours and thus continue to trap them in a perpetual cycle of poverty, "he added.

CONIWAS, Mr. Arhin said, "is of the view that as a country, we can not allow circumstances, incomes or levels of human education to determine who is drinking. water from improved or contaminated sources. "

Observation

the executive CONIWAS Secretary Basilia Nanbigne also noted that funding for the water sector has been declining over the years as only a fraction of the budget allocated to the sector has been effectively disbursed.

"We have also carried out budget monitoring which shows that metropolitan, municipal and district bademblies (MMDA) do not prioritize the allocation of funds to the water, sanitation and hygiene sector ( WASH). When they get money from the Common Fund and other sources, they spend mainly five or seven percent on WASH, while the bulk goes to water and to water. Other sectors. We really need to prioritize funding and investment in WASH, "she said.