WASH United Ghana is born

Accra, June 11, GNA - WASH United, an innovative approach to promoting Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Ghana, was on Friday launched in Accra by Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing.

The WASH campaign which emanated from the German NGO "Brot fur die Welt" and operational in eight African countries, has stars such as Jackie Appiah, Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, Didier Drogba, Nwanko Kanu as its ambassadors.

Mr Bagbin said even though the country was on its way to achieving the Millennium Development Goals on water, the case for sanitation left much to be desired.

"It is a known fact that only 12.4 per cent of the population enjoyed good sanitation as at the end of 2008 and this requires around 200 million US dollars per annum in investment over time to reverse the situation," he said.

He reiterated the ministry's preparedness to come out with policies that would prevent waterborne diseases, reduce mortality and morbidity rates, reduce pre and post-natal risks but enrol more girls in schools and also increase the productivity of farmers and the country's entire workforce. He praised WASH United Ghana for its efforts in partnering the government to ensure that government's vision of achieving the Millennium Development Goals on sanitation was realized and members to pump more resources into its activities to ensure sustainability. Mr Rudolf Amega-Etego, Country Coordinator of WASH United Ghana, said the organisation was formed to promote the habit of "washing our hands with soap, advocate for safe drinking water and sanitation as a human right and also create demand for sanitation services". "WASH united will also engage with schools, youth football clubs and local communities, policy makers and Civil Society organizations to promote sanitation and hygiene in the country," he added. He noted that in European countries where WASH was operational, they had also engaged the general public and decision makers to ensure that access to water, good sanitation and hygiene topped the priority list on developmental activities. 11 June 10