CSOs call on government to invest in WASH activities

Africa Water Justice Network has kicked against the privatization of water systems in Africa.

The group explain that privatisation of water supply on the continent threatens the availability of water to rural communities.

Speaking at the Civil Society Organizations budget forum held in Accra, the Coordinator of Africa Water Justice Network, Leonard Shang Quartey, said that the precedence of allowing development partners to foot the highest part of capital expenditure for water and wash activities is worrying.

He also charged the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to give enough capacity to the Community Water and Sanitation to ensure that the rural folks have access to potable and affordable water.

He also called for the reactivation of the Teshie Desalination Plant to mitigate instances of water shortage.

“A lot of our calls have to do with streamlining improved coordination of investment in the sector. One will find quite a number of some of these new agencies also being allocated funds to come and implement wash projects.”

“The Zongo Development Fund, and Infrastructure for poverty eradication programme among other groups are all getting an allocation of funds. We think there could be a lot of waste with this approach. If for nothing, we believe the Community Water and Sanitation Agency is responsible for rural water, so wash projects in the rural areas should be channelled through the agency.”