On October 27, the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, alongside Ghana’s Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Dr. Freda Prempeh, officially launched the U.S. Global Water Strategy High Priority Country Plan for Ghana.
The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has outlined plans to invest around $100 million in Ghana’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector over the upcoming five years.
This commitment is in addition to the $89 million that USAID has already allocated since 2009. The Country Plan for Ghana aims to raise an additional $20 million from both public and private sectors within the next five years.
Inadequate WASH services have adverse effects on health, education, and economic development, and there are notable regional disparities in Ghana.
For instance, as per the 2021 Population and Housing Census, access to clean water varies from 98% in the Greater Accra Region to 55% in the North East Region. Furthermore, while the national average for open defecation in rural areas stands at slightly over 30%, the five regions in northern Ghana report an open defecation rate exceeding 50%.
During the launch, Ambassador Palmer reaffirmed the U.S. support to Ghana’s WASH sector, saying; “The United States Government looks forward to continuing our partnership to ensure that everyone in Ghana has access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to improve health and promote economic development. Together, we’ll ensure clean water and sanitation for all.”