GHANA LAUNCH’S THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SANITATION.

26Th February 2008
To put the spotlight on sanitation the UN General Assembly declared the year 2008 the International Year of Sanitation. The goal is to raise awareness and to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7, target 2; to reduce by half the proportion of the 2.6 billion people without access to basic sanitation by 2015.
The Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Environment in collaboration with other Stake Holders in The Water and Sanitation Sector with the support of some Development Partners today, launched the International Year of Sanitation.

The Theme for the Launch was: “Building Partnership for Improved Sanitation”.

Participants included; The Hon. Regional Minister, The Hon. Minister for Local Government, Some Members of parliament, Development Partners (you could mention the Development Partners, Representatives from NGOs, Other Stakeholders, The Market Women Association, Fishermen Association, School Children and members of Chorkor Community.
 In his speech, The Regional Minister, Hon. Sheik I.C Quaye mentioned that; Sanitation is the foundation of health, dignity and development .Hence improved sanitation reduces illnesses, enhances development and promote human dignity. He appealed to all House Holds, Community Members, Civil Society and the Media to work in partnership with the Government to promote good Sanitation.
The Executive Secretary of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) mentioned that, a competition would soon be launched to encourage women’s participation in Sanitation. There would be a prize for the best slogan for sanitation made by a female or a female group.
The Hon. Kwadwo Adjei - Darko, The Minister for Local Government Rural Development and Environment, before  launching the year long celebration remarked that, Sanitation is population dependant and hence one of the key objectives of the Millennium Development Goals. Data has indicated that 60 percent of all morbidity and mortality especially in children are water related. A good sanitation is therefore needed to reduce Child mortality by 2015.
He appealed to all to cultivate a positive attitude towards sanitation, adding that; waste management is capital intensive and should not be left to only the Government and the Municipal Assemblies. All must begin to see waste as a resource which can be used to create employment. He encouraged private investment in waste management.
He further reminded all about the ministry’s mandate to ensure a medium and long term investment in sanitation. He added that the ministry is putting the required institutional and policy framework in place. These include; the revision of the National Environment and Sanitation Policy, Sanitation Investment Plans, Upgrading Units at all levels, Creating enabling environment for future private sectors in waste management, Strengthening the monitoring and evaluation unit of the directorate and adopting more innovations to scale up sanitation to make rapid progress (eg CLTS).
In conclusion, he acknowledged the support of Development Partners and other sector players while reminding them that the ministry’s door is open for suggestions from them.

By Basilia Nanbigne