World Vision Ghana has set a target to deliver at least 90 percent universal access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and services across targeted rural communities in the Asunafo North Municipality and Asutifi North District of the Ahafo region over the next five years.

Some of the rural communities in the two districts currently lack access to improved water quality, forcing residents to trek long distances to neighboring towns to queue for safe water, with others resorting to untreated water sources.

Speaking to JoyNews on the sidelines of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between World Vision Ghana and the two district assemblies, Acting National Director, Joshua Baidoo, highlighted the core motivation behind the initiative.

He indicated that one of the core objectives of World Vision is to ensure that children have life in its fullest, emphasizing that WASH services could not be taken out of that vision.

Mr. Baidoo said as part of measures to ensure the 90 percent target is met, the project has established a collaborative framework backed by pooled resources, technical expertise, labor, and infrastructure support.

Asunafo North Municipal and Asutifi North District Coordinating Directors Benjamin Owusu Afriyie and Abdul-Aziz Gafaru acknowledged that their mandate of WASH provision could not be executed alone due to limited local government resources.

They noted that the partnership with World Vision will make water easily accessible to rural communities.

The Coordinating Directors stressed that while communities urgently need water, the quality of the water is key, adding that the collaboration with World Vision will enhance both easy access and improved water quality.

The 90 percent universal access target directly advances key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, 3 on Good Health and Well-Being, 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Development analysts view the partnership as a critical bridge over the persistent financing gap facing local assemblies as resource constraints often stall projects, making joint operational frameworks with non-governmental partners vital for closing infrastructure deficits.

Public health experts emphasize that prioritizing water quality over basic access marks a pivotal shift, as extending safely managed water systems directly safeguards child health and reduces preventable waterborne illnesses in communities relying on untreated sources.

Furthermore, WASH sector observers note that combining physical infrastructure with Community-Led Total Sanitation strategies and local capacity building directly addresses long-term sustainability, ensuring water facilities and hygiene standards remain operational long after initial delivery.

Under the agreement, the Asunafo North Municipal and Asutifi North District Assemblies are tasked with facilitating community entry, mobilization, and leadership engagement, alongside contributing locally available resources, supporting maintenance, and strictly enforcing local sanitation by-laws.

For its part, World Vision Ghana is responsible for providing technical expertise, training, and financial and material resources, while leading overall project monitoring, reporting, evaluation, safeguarding, and social accountability mechanisms.