The Embassy of Denmark and UNICEF have launched a major joint initiative worth 100 million Danish Krone (DKK 100,000,000), approximately USD$14 million, to support the Government of Ghana in expanding access to safe drinking water in vulnerable, low-income urban areas.

The four-year project is expected to provide safe drinking water to about 100,000 people, including an estimated 40,000 children, in some of the country’s most underserved communities.

Implemented in collaboration with Ghana Water Limited (GWL), the initiative seeks to introduce a sustainable, scalable model for delivering water services to low-income households, including the development of a long-term financing mechanism for such communities.

Despite progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation), Ghana still faces significant gaps, with 57 per cent of the population lacking access to safely managed drinking water.

Denmark’s Ambassador to Ghana, Jakob Linulf, emphasised the urgency of integrating climate action with water accessibility.

“We will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without addressing the climate crisis. Denmark is proud to be a green partner on Ghana’s journey towards achieving SDG 6 on universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water,” he said.

UNICEF Representative in Ghana, Osama Makkawi Khogali, highlighted the project’s focus on equity and affordability.

“UNICEF is pleased to collaborate on this initiative because it addresses the issue of affordable water connections for vulnerable households. This transformative initiative will improve the lives of families, particularly children,” he said.

The project, titled “Water Access and Water Efficiency for Low-Income Areas in Ghana”, will target urban low-income communities, including Wa in the Upper West Region and Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

It will be guided by the Water Safety Plan approach, designed to prevent water contamination from source to household by improving treatment systems, distribution pipelines, and monitoring mechanisms.

Aligned with Ghana’s development agenda and global commitments under the SDGs, the initiative will expand water piping networks to previously unserved areas, promote community participation, and adopt equity-centered strategies to ensure inclusiveness and sustainability.

The Denmark–UNICEF partnership marks a significant step toward bridging urban water access gaps and ensuring that vulnerable households, especially children, benefit from safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water.