The Asutifi North District Assembly on Wednesday, August 24 held a meeting with its stakeholders to introduce WaterAid as the new partner to the Asutifi North Ahonidie Mpuntuo (ANAM) WASH Initiative.
In 2017, the district together with its partners started the initiative to implement a thirteen-year WASH masterplan to promote universal access to safe water, basic sanitation, and hygiene services to about 84,420 people within the District in line with the sustainable development goal 6.
WaterAid is an NGO working in Ghana since 1985. Their focus most importantly is to promote WASH services by influencing investment in WASH using policy research, lobbying, advocacy, and working with others to strengthen national and local systems, as well as our direct contributions to improved and new WASH services.
The meeting which took place at the District Assembly Conference hall also discussed the WaterAid WASH in Healthcare Facilities (HCFs) Project which will be undertaken in Asutifi North and Wassa East districts for 12 months, funded by Conrad Hilton Foundation with a USD234, 000 grant.
In his welcome address, District Chief Executive, Honourable Anthony Mensah explained, “they are here to add on to what we together with the other partners have already been engaged in. As it is said that cleanliness is next to godliness, it is only right to get more partners on board to achieve our goal in time”.
Acting Programs Officer, Seyram Ama Asimah in outlining the project’s estimated outcomes highlighted that they will be working to ensure a robust project response, develop the evidence base for policy advocacy work, and mobilize civil and social accountability, policy maker capacity to fulfill responsibilities and to give it a global engagement.
In response to concerns about whether the project will construct WASH facilities, Head of Policy, Advocacy, and Campaigns for WaterAid, George Yorke said, “every donor has their interests. The interest of this donor is not in building facilities for now. They have already sponsored other partnering NGOs to build facilities here since the initiative’s inception. We are here in their bid to expand their agreement”.
He further added, “To avoid duplicity of efforts, we, for this 12 months will be working hand in hand with the other NGOs to study the progress of existing efforts, find the gaps and help to close them. All of this is to ensure sustenance of existing efforts”.
Nananom, together with all stakeholders expressed gratitude to Conrad Hilton Foundation for their continuous efforts toward assisting the district in achieving the sustainable development goal 6. They further pledged their total collaboration and support toward the WaterAid for HCFs Project. Amongst the stakeholders present were Nananom, CSOs, District Assembly staff, Youth groups, Health directorate staff, and Assembly members.