Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has revealed that the Akufo-Addo Government has activated a process to establish a National Sanitation Authority together with a National Sanitation Fund.
According to her, the establishment of the Authority and the Fund will give the country’s efforts significant focus, attract the requisite human capacity and mobilize resources for improved sanitation services delivery in Ghana.
Addressing the media in Accra, the Sanitation Minister said “Hon. Chairman, in a bid to ensure the constant supply of Environmental Sanitation Officers, for the first time since their establishment in 1952, the three schools of hygiene have seen a major infrastructure development”
She added that in Accra and Ho, a new two-storey, nine-classroom block each, is being provided while Tamale is benefiting from rehabilitation of an existing hostel facility.
Mrs. Dapaah further added that the Ministry has obtained Financial Clearance from the Ministry of Finance to engage the remaining 1,174 graduates from the three Schools of Hygiene.
She hinted that the students are graduates from 2010 to 2019 and in collaboration with Office of the Head of the Local Government Service adding that they are going through the necessary recruitment processes.
“Hon. Chairman, in 2017, a policy reform was initiated in the Community Water and Sanitation sub-sector to expand the mandate of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to include the management of Piped Water Systems while devising support mechanism for the management of Point Water Systems and Sanitation” she added.
The Sanitation Minister also added that the reform seeks to change the management of Piped Water Systems from Community Owned Management concept to Professionalised Management with focus on the application of technology and innovation to ensure sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness of the Water Supply infrastructure which have been provided at high cost to the State.
She explained that Government has spent a total of GHC60million to rehabilitate and expand 151 Small Town Piped Water Systems across the country.
She noted that some of the systems been rehabilitated are in Vakpo, Taviefe, Akatsi in the Volta region, Mim in the Bono region, Manso Nkwanta, Manso Atwedie Juaben and Seniagya in the Ashanti region. Most of these Systems were in a state of disrepair at the time of the CWSA took over.
She said “Hon. Chairman, as part of measures to introduce new skills to support the introduction of Innovation and Technology in Water Systems Management, 1,087 professionals (Engineers, Water Safety Specialists, Accountants, etc.) and 409 auxiliary staff (Plumbers, Technical operators, etc.) have been employed. An additional 250 jobs are expected to be created by the close of the year. In addition, GHc3.3million out of GHc5million outstanding electricity bills incurred by the Water and Sanitation Management Teams have been paid resulting in the restoration of power to the water supply infrastructure in the communities”
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources noted that the COVID-19 pandemic and the general awareness created by Government and other stakeholders have provided the opportunity for the intensification of this policy.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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