Government has been asked to extend the change in the narrative of the poor sanitation in the capital city of the country to other regions through the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Ministry of Sanitation and other ministries. 

Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in the Water and Sanitation Sector (CONIWAS), Yaw Attah Arhin who made the call at the opening ceremony of the Mole XXXII Wash Conference in Anita Hotel, Kumasi.

He noted that the initiative to change sanitation issues should not only be an initiative of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey but a key performance indicator for all MMDCE's who have the mandate for the sustainable development of their respective jurisdictions. 

Mr Arhin noted that, CONIWAS has no doubt of the commitment to ensuring sustainable delivery of safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene. 

"The establishment of the MSWR, the launch of the NSC and the social norms campaign,  the introduction of the SPL among other initiatives bear ample testimony of Government's commitment, "Mr Attah Arhin said. 

Mr  Arhin, who is also the WASH Technical Coordinator at the World Vision International, said it is time to turn political commitment into real action by acting according to the WASH sector's increased prioritization and adequate financing arrangements. 

Mr Arhin noted that the current levels of financing may not lead the country to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals 6, and any thought of universal access to sustainable WASH services may remain a perpetual illusion. 

Mr Arhin stated that there is an urgent need for increased recognition and stakeholders engagement and support towards identifying innovative solutions to the challenges confronting the sector and barriers to sustainable access to WASH services. 

"Here we wish to express our appreciation for the inclusion of CONIWAS on the adversary Board of the Regional Water and Resources and the Sector adversary Board of the Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Kumasi among others," he said.

He also noted that investing in Water, Sanitation and hygiene is the necessary foundation for a healthy and productive population. 

He said investments in WASH are no regrets investments which have multiplier effects on all productive sectors of the economy.

According to Yaw, the economic benefits of sanitation are about five times the cost, and improving hand hygiene can generate savings in health expenditure of up to 15 times the cost.

"Unfortunately, underinvestment in WASH has left 4.2 million Ghanaians without safe drinking water, and more than 22 million without basic sanitation or the means to wash their hands (JMP 2020). 

"I also wish to salute the commitment of the indefatigable business mogul, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyapong for living his divine vision of a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous Ghana," Mr Arhin said.

The deputy ranking member on the parliamentary select committee on housing, Andrew Dari Chiwitey who spoke on behalf of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah who is the Chairman for the conference, called for a no toilet no marriage policy as a way of ending open defecation and poor sanitation issues in the country. 

According to Mr Mensah, women who are due for marriage should resist husbands whose homes do not have toilet facilities. 

This according to him will lure men to prioritize the need for a proper wash facility in their homes before marriage.

He added that a clean lifestyle leads to sickness-free living thereby leading to a financially sound life.

The Country Director of World Bank, Mr Pierre Laporte said CONIWAS has been included in the engagements of the World Bank and some members engaged for some stakeholder meetings with country partnership framework which is expected to guide the way the government and the World Bank Group in Ghana would engage over the next six years 

"Water and sanitation and Hygiene featured prominently in our engagement when the issues of the pandemic and the preventive measures including handwashing with soap under running water were discussed. I have been informed that the Annual Mole Conference series organized by CONIWAS,"Mr Laporte said.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene according to Mr Larporte are critical for the survival of all in the event of any emergency like natural disasters or man-made ones. 

"When it comes to natural disasters, there is usually a disruption in water supply services when treatment plants are affected or when the water transmission and distribution lines are broken or washed away. When it comes to sanitation, the receptacles for toilet facilities may get flooded and the faecal matter, " Mr Larporte said. 

He said in all programming, resilience should be built by ensuring risk-based WASH planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation are mainstreamed in all.

The MOLE XXXII WASH Conference is under the theme, "Repositioning the WASH sector for emergency response and sustainable development."

The conference was sponsored by World Vision International Ghana, Unicef, Sanitation water project, Plan International Ghana, Water Aid, Catholic Relief Services, SNV, ESPA, IRC, Rotary, Community Water Sanitation Agency, Embassy of Israel and Global Communities.