The leadership of the Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East Region has paid tribute to Water Aid Ghana, an NGO, for its contribution in improving access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in the district.
The leadership of the Assembly revealed that many communities and institutions had access to WASH facilities and services through the support of the NGO, and commended it for complementing the government’s efforts to implement WASH projects in hard-to-reach communities in the District.
The Bongo District Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Mr Stephen Bordotiah, made the commendation on behalf of the Acting District Chief Executive, Mr Peter Ayamga Ayinbisa, during a meeting with representatives from Water Aid Ghana and its partner Helmsley Charitable Trust, NGO and the Bongo District Assembly on Friday.
The team also embarked upon a monitoring visit to communities and facilities in which Water Aid Ghana sponsored have implemented as part of the strategies to attract Helmsley Charitable Trust to consider sponsoring the implementation of some projects in the district.
The Acting DCE pointed out that out of the 167 communities in the district, 60 communities have attained the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status while others are at various stages of achieving the target.
He said Water Aid Ghana alone contributed to 11 communities being declared ODF.
“Additionally, water coverage in the district currently stands at 85 per cent with safely managed drinking water services being 25 per cent, basic drinking water services, 40 per cent and limited drinking water services being 20 per cent,” he revealed.
Mr Ayinbisa noted that Water Aid Ghana through its WASH for Public Health (WASH4PH) and infrastructure service delivery interventions, WASH services had been extended to several underserved communities and health facilities in the district.
He said 24 communities, schools and health institutions had received various interventions, including the construction of nine water closet toilet and washroom facilities with attached biodigester, six incinerators, 11 mechanized water systems, three rain water harvesters, four limited water systems, two boreholes with hand pumps and four no. four-seater KVIPs.
“With assistance from Water Aid Ghana, we trained and equipped 14 borehole mechanics in our district for the servicing of boreholes and we have also trained 70 latrine artisans under the WASH4PH project,” he added.
The Acting Country Director of Water Aid Ghana, Mrs Kate Kumi, noted that the mission of the NGO was to provide easy access to work effectively with partners and local authorities to deliver WASH service to rural communities to help contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals especially goal six which puts emphasis on water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The Programme Director of Helmsley Charitable Trust, Ms Trista Kontz, commended the collaboration between the Assembly, Water Aid Ghana and traditional authorities to addressing the WASH needs of the people in the district.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, BONGO
