A new Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (CVRA) conducted across five districts in the Northern Region of Ghana has revealed alarming evidence of environmental degradation and its devastating impact on water security, public health, and vulnerable communities.

The study, carried out in Bongo, Kassena-Nankana Municipal, Kassena-Nankana West, Nabdam, and Bawku West, shows that rivers are drying up, water sources are becoming contaminated, and floods are occurring more frequently.

These changes are destroying critical Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure across Ghana.

Speaking at the WASH Summit held in Accra on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Seidu Issifu, stressed the timeliness of the summit, noting that rural communities are the hardest hit and their futures are increasingly at risk.

He stated that poor water quality and inadequate sanitation account for approximately 70 percent of all diseases in Ghana.

“Research data available suggests that poor quality and sanitation account for approximately 70% of all diseases in Ghana. Diarrhoea causes 25% of deaths among children under five years old, and roughly 1,000 under-five deaths annually are attributed to polluted water sources. These glaring statistics underscore the importance of our gathering today,” Seidu Issifu said.

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Issifu noted that his outfit would establish a Climate Change and Sustainability Hub which will serve as a centre of excellence to coordinate research, policy, and innovation to ensure that knowledge from initiatives like WASH4Climate informs national planning and global advocacy.

He further said the ministry would also institutionalize Climate Change and Sustainability Units across every Ministry, Department, Agency, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assembly (MMDAs) to mainstream climate action into every sector.

Speaking in the same vein, the Programmes Manager for WASH and Climate Change at WaterAid Ghana, Richard Ntibrey, noted that prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall are reducing the availability of water from rivers, boreholes, and wells.

He explained that dry spells lasting five to six months are intensifying the scarcity of both surface and groundwater, while rising temperatures are increasing evaporation and reducing groundwater recharge.

Ntibrey also cited reduced handwashing practices and poor personal hygiene as consequences of limited water access.

In terms of livelihoods, he warned that livestock productivity is being threatened by heat stress and high mortality rates.

Recommendations from the summit include strengthening WASH infrastructure, enhancing local participation in planning, and engaging communities in the design of WASH systems.

The government must also strengthen disaster preparedness, which was identified as a key limitation during the study.

The summit was organized by the Ministry of Climate Change and Sustainability in collaboration with WaterAid Ghana, to facilitate engagement and disseminate the CVRA findings to selected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).




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