Global Water Partnership ends in Accra

Mr. Yaw Barimah, Minister of Works and Housing on Tuesday lauded the just ended two-day Global Water Partnership (GWP) Conference in Accra as a relevant forum to boost the capacity of Ghana to promote integrated water resources management.

He said the conference, which took place in Sweden for six years running, had also facilitated consultation on the successful completion of the Tano River Basin rehabilitation project, which aims at preventing the basin from drying up as a result of bad environmental practices.

The 250 participants at the conference from over 60 countries engaged in a variety of discussions such as dialogue in water and poverty, effective water governance and also brainstorm on how to improve capacity building in integrated water management.

There was a panel discussion by African Ministers in the water sector on water governance, which discussed with water financing and cost recovery, problems encountered in tariff increases and private sector participation in the water sector. Interventions by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to solve the water crisis on the continent were also discussed.

Mr Barimah said water issues transcend borders and are no longer internal matters hence the need for frequent international interactions to deal with them. He mentioned water boundaries as one particular issue that involves international consultation and collaboration adding that recommendations adopted at the conference would be a focal point by the government in promoting effective water management.

Mrs Margaret Catley Calson, chairperson of the GWP said deliberations at the conference were very exhaustive but helpful to promote strategies at attaining integrated and sustainable water resource management.

She said collaboration with the political leadership, especially in Africa was also promoted at the conference. Dr. Daniel Adom, Acting Secretary of Ghana's Water Resources Commission was elected a member of the steering committee of the GWP.