Ghana requires $2bn to achieve SDG on universal sanitation coverage – official

Ghana required a minimum of two billion U.S. dollars in capital investments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on universal sanitation coverage, a senior official has said.

Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, announced the figure in his keynote address at the annual national conference of the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in the Central Region.

He said the specific investments would include $1.4 billion on the construction of household toilet facilities nationwide and $103.3 million on environmental sanitation services, including emptying and waste treatment liquid and solid waste.

The minister added that $85.1 million needed to be invested in school sanitation infrastructure and $146 million in sanitation facilities for healthcare institutions.

He said these investments would enable the West African country to close the gaps in the coverage of sanitation and move towards achieving universal coverage nationwide.

“Meeting these targets require coordinated, cost-effective and inclusive efforts.

“It is important to say that as stakeholders, we need to focus more attention on delivering comprehensive district-wide sanitation services to meet these set targets,” the minister urged.

Chinnia said Ghana has invested at least $500 million in sanitation projects since 2010.

“It would take additional funding to bridge the existing gap in safely managed sanitation.”

According to the 2021 population and housing census, Ghana achieved 15 per cent coverage in sanitation following these investments in the sector.