Ministry to mainstream small water enterprises into supply mix
The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has pledged its support towards mainstreaming small water enterprises into the sustainable water supply mix in Ghana.
At the Seventh Annual Forum, dubbed: “Beyond the Pipe, organised by the Safe Water Network (SWN), a Non-Governmental Organisation,
Mr Michael Yaw Gyato, the Deputy Sector Minister, said small water entreprises were an important part of the mix for sustainable water supply.
“The experience from Safe Water Network has taught us that small water enterprises are an important part of the mix for sustainable water supply in Ghana, especially in peri-urban, small towns, and rural areas,” he said.
“The Ministry will work in partnership with the Safe Water Network to support its efforts in mainstreaming small water enterprises into the Ministry’s overall strategy and plan for water services delivery.”
Mr Charles Nimako, the Director of Initiatives of the Safe Water Network, emphasised the role of small water enterprises in delivering safe, affordable, and reliable water services, especially for the poor.
“Combined with the efforts of other implementers, and with an operating footprint in nine out of 10 regions and reaching 1.1 million people in Ghana, small water enterprises have been proven, are replication-ready, and have a critical role to play in achieving the SDGs,” he said.
“We estimate that with an investment of $106 million, we can reach approximately 3.2 million people in 1,000 communities with reliable safe water access.”
Mr Joseph Ampadu-Boakye, the Programme Manager of SWN, explained how the 2019 agenda of the Small Water Enterprise Working Group – a group of leaders from government, civil society organisations, the development sector, and the private sector – was founded in 2015 to support the step.
It was to support the funding, policy and regulatory reforms to mainstream small water enterprises into the water supply mix.
Safe Water Network is committed to providing potable water to millions of people in need of safe water and improving their health and livelihoods.
Source: GNA