Stakeholders in the water sector have been urged to explore innovative and cutting-edge solutions as part of efforts to deliver improved and sustainable water services, especially in rural and peri urban areas in the country.

This, according to the Country Director of Safe Water Network, Charles Nimako, will require the urgent need to invest funding and other resources in scaling up safe water enterprises, which will go a long way of complementing government’s efforts in ensuring Ghanaians have equitable and clean access to water by 20230, in fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Speaking at the 2024 Safe Water Network’s ‘Beyond the Pipe Forum’ organized in Accra, Charles Nimako stressed the importance of scaling up small water enterprises as a way of supplementing government’s efforts towards achieving sustainable access to water.

Mr. Nimako said the Network’s efforts over the past few years have led to a significant improvement in the market for safe water enterprises, disclosing that over $20million have collectively been invested in the water sector, and have since been delivering safe, reliable and affordable water services to over 2 million people across all 16 regions in Ghana.”

Delivering his address to officially open the forum, the Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Amidu Issahaku Chinnia highlighted the need for the non-state water service providers to collaborate with the Ghana Government to provide access to safe and potable water especially in small towns and rural communities.

The Deputy Minister commended Safe Water Network, for years of investment in extending water services in peri urban areas and small towns, and advocacy for improved and sustainable water services in Ghana.

“Safe Water Network has particularly focused on Ghana’s water sector drawing attention to critical policy issues as well as implementing interventions together with its partners to provide water solutions to many communities.” The Deputy Minister added.

The Forum which was under the theme “Safe Water: The Power of Enterprises” brought together nearly 200 leaders from public sector, private sector and development partners to dialogue on how to grow safe water enterprises to deliver water services for an estimated 3.2 million people in over 1,000 peri urban communities and small towns in Ghana by 2030.

Safe Water Network is an international non-profit organization which leverages best practices, tools and expertise across hundreds of communities to improve the performance of community-based safe water solutions with public, private and NGO partners. The organization has so far implemented community-based water solutions in over 40 districts in 10 regions of Ghana, benefiting 150 communities with over 500,000 people across these communities being served with safe and reliable water through the cutting-edge solutions and innovations.