The challenges to sanitation in the Northern Region and Ghana as a whole are linked to the inability to create proper disposal points for solid waste, lack of enforcement of sanitation laws, population growth, poor financing of sanitation policies among others.
“Several studies have shown that, public investment in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in Ghana has not kept pace with service needs, economic growth and urbanization.
Access to basic sanitation services currently stands at 21%. If investment in the sector is not increased, Ghana may not meet the target of providing safe sanitation to all by 2030″. This was contained in a speech made by Caroline Raes, the Head Of Programming of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), at the launching of the Citywide Sanitation Plan by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, on Thursday June 16, 2022 in Tamale.
According to Caroline Raes, CRS Ghana has provided technical and financial support in the plan development process in the past 3 years as it aligns with the strategic goals, vision and mission of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) which seeks to catalyze transformational change at scale, build a more just, equitable and prosperous world for all, where local leadership and local solutions are key.
Touching on interventions, Caroline Raes said, the CRS through the Urban WASH and Resilience Project, working with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly in the past three (3) years has implemented some key sanitation interventions, namely; the construction of 580 household toilets which is currently serving 4000 beneficiaries in Tamale Metropolitan and Sagnarigu Municipality.
Rehabilitation of seven (7) public toilets of which three (3) were certified as WASH friendly facilities serving transient populations.
Supported the establishment of Open Defecation Free (ODF) league table for Senor High Schools in Northern Region.
Facilitated the training of thirty (30) water and sanitation management team.
And also working with government partners to establish the Tamale Water Fund.
“I wish to state unequivocally,the commitment and resolve of the CRS to continue to provide technical support for the delivery of safe water, sanitation and hygiene services in Greater Tamale” the CRS Head Of Programming noted.
Sharing his views on the Citywide Sanitation Plan, the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Hon. Sule Salifu said, ” the plan serves as a reference document that maps out the sanitation needs within the Tamale Metropolis with carefully thought through interventions to address these sanitation challenges to improve the sanitation outlook for Tamale Metropolis in line with SDGs goal 6 and 11″. This according to Sule Salifu is inline with the mission statement of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly.
“The Metropolitan Assembly under my leadership, therefore,intends to work with development partners, private sector operators and corporate bodies to provide adequate and sustainable financing for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services”, he added.
The Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive did not miss words in expressing his gratitude to CRS all development partners and the Heads of Units within the Assembly for showing leadership and working tirelessly in developing the Citywide Sanitation Plan document.
The Citywide Sanitation Plan seeks to facilitate effective coordination, enhance collaboration, adequate planning and provide a comprehensive citywide ‘blueprint’ for the management of urban sanitation to achieve the outcomes of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.
