The Head of Strategy, Policy and Campaigns at WaterAid, Ibrahim Musah, has stressed that the climate crisis must be viewed as a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issue, given its growing impact on access to clean water and sanitation.

Speaking on JoyNews Desk on Monday, 30 March, Mr Musah explained that climate change is introducing new challenges across the WASH sector, making it a critical concern for both policymakers and communities.

From a policy perspective, he noted that Ghana is making progress in addressing climate-related risks. He cited the National Water Policy 2024, developed by the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, as a key framework that anticipates climate impacts and outlines strategies to address them.

He also highlighted the role of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, which has developed a National Adaptation Plan prioritising water and sanitation.

Mr Musah added that work is ongoing to finalise the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), aimed at strengthening climate resilience efforts.

At the sub-national level, he said WaterAid has partnered with the National Development Planning Commission to support five districts in the Upper East Region to integrate climate change into their development plans. These include Bongo District, Nabdam District, Kassena Nankana Municipal, and Kassena Nankana West District.

He further noted that communities are already benefiting from the Climate WASH Resilience Fund, which supports local adaptation efforts.

Mr Musah stressed that empowering communities to participate in local planning will be key to making climate adaptation more effective and sustainable.