Minister launches strategic devt plan for water sector

The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing has launched a Water Sector Strategic Development Plan to provide a framework for achieving water and sanitation for all by 2025.

The 52-page strategic development plan envisioning “sustainable water and basic sanitation for all by 2025” was launched by the sector Minister Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, in Accra at the weekend.

Some specific objectives of the strategic plan are to increase the national water coverage rate from 59 per cent in 2009 to 80 per cent in 2015 and 100 per cent in 2025 and to increase rural and small towns water coverage from 59 per cent in 2009 to 76 in 2015 and 100 per cent in 2025,

Other objectives are to increase national sanitation coverage from 13 per cent as at 2008 to 53 per cent in 2015 and 100 per cent by 2025.

It also aims at increasing water and sanitation sector investment to $ 350 million annually, securing at least five per cent of the sector’s investment financing from other sources like the private sector and internally-generated funds by 2020 and improving international cooperation in management of shared water resources.

Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah said while the launch of the document is “an important milestone”, developing countries would require 27 billion dollars annually for 15 years in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said international development agencies have indicated that they could provide $ 6 billion annually but the 21 billion- dollar shortfall would be a burden on the already overstretched budgets of the said countries.

He noted that while Ghana is suffering economic challenges, support from development partners and stakeholders to the water sector, which extended coverage to many rural areas, has dwindled and appealed for support.

“We can achieve the SDGs if we continue to receive investment support from our development partners and overseas development agencies. I therefore appeal to the water, sanitation and health sector development partners and other stakeholders such as the banks and other corporate entities to remain committed to the sector,” he said.

The Minister of Finance Mr Seth Terkper, in a statement read on his behalf, reiterated government’s commitment to provide basic social services in the medium term and addressing any challenges that may emerge holistically.

A representative of the Coalition of non-governmental organisations in Water and Sanitation expressed the coalition’s pleasure with the launch of the document, saying it would galvanise players in the sector to provide the support that government needs.

The coalition, however, said setting targets would not be enough as the sector lacks financing, citing the commitment of only 0.4 per cent of gross domestic product to sanitation.