Vice President, Dr. Mahumadu Bawumia has announced the establishment of a National Sanitation Authority with a dedicated fund as a regulatory step in improving the environmental conditions across the country.

He pointed out that over the years, indiscriminate disposal of waste both solids and liquids had become a major concern to the government which led to the institution of the National Sanitation Day with a country wide perspective, but that has not made much gains.

The Vice President said the government was committed to improving the health of its citizenry and therefore would churn out appropriate policies and interventions that would ensure the achievement of quality health, environmental cleanliness and the general wellbeing of the people.

Dr. Bawumia was speaking at the opening of a four day "Mole XXX WASH conference" at Ho in the Volta Region.

The Mole conference is an annual event hosted by the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) to discuss pertinent issues in the water, Sanitation and hygiene sector and how improved delivery of such services would better the lots of Ghanaians.

The Veep said government's commitment to the sector was unparalleled with the setting up of a dedicated Ministry, the revival of the sector working group and establishment of an Authority to improve the sector's activities.

Dr. Bawumia recall how he was greeted with filth some 28 years ago when he returned home for a vacation from Canada.

"This situation got me thinking about what can be done to improve the insanitary conditions in our country... After extensive research, I came across " Garbage in the Cities", a research work on how the whites allowed filth to engulfed them years back and the plaques and epidemics that came with it and I believe we have to learn from this," he said.

He said WASH objectives were duties all and sundry must uphold to ensure safe environmental practices to promote life and dignity.

Dr. Mawuena Dotse, WASH Expert lauded the government for the initiative, but called for adequate financing mechanisms to enable the authority to work and work well.

He said the creation of institutions over the years had been stifle by the lack of the relevant material, financial and other important logistics needed to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.

The WASH sector, according to the expert must be critically supported through good technology and data management system to aid in proper planning and service delivery.

Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources urged the stakeholders to support government to successfully implement the various reforms in the Sector.

Mr. Worlanyo Siabi, the Chief Executive of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency called for strict adherence to standards in the provision of WASH facilities by sector players to promote sustainability.