The Director of Inter-Party and Civil Society Relations of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Peter Boamah Otukonor, says that the party’s manifestos, from past years to the present, have consistently prioritised Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).

According to Dr. Otukonor, WASH has always been a central focus of the party's policies, and they will continue to uphold this commitment.

He made these remarks during JoyNews’ National Dialogue on WASH and Climate Change on Tuesday, August 13.

Dr. Otukonor stated that the party now has a dedicated section with concrete, practical solutions to address WASH issues.

“We believe that the rate we were able to achieve in four years under President Mahama, if we are able to get the nod from the people of Ghana, which we are very confident about… we will be able to accelerate and improve the achievements that our friends have abandoned over the period,” he said.

He expressed the NDC's commitment to achieving 100% access to quality potable water for both urban and rural areas and to improving sanitation for all Ghanaians.

Dr. Otukonor also stressed that the country’s progress in WASH will be limited if the issue of climate change is not adequately addressed.

“That is why I feel deeply worried and rather backward that in 21st century 2024, a country that is growing at this rate would allow our forest reserves to become a mining hog where politicians and small-scale miners have just jumped into our forest reserves and are depleting it.”

He further noted that climate change has a significant impact on WASH and that good practices in WASH can positively influence climate change.