WaterAid Ghana, Partners Hold Annual Review Workshop

EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE

WaterAid Ghana (WAG), a non-governmental organisation with years of experience in Ghana’s water and sanitation sector, in collaboration with its partners, has held its Annual Review Workshop in the Brong Ahafo Regional capital of Sunyani.

The two-day workshop attracted over 40 participants from some District Assemblies including the DCEs of Akuapem North and Krachi East districts, Community, Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate (EHSD) of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and Water Directorate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.

Other participants were from WaterAid Ghana (WAG), NGO partners such as ProNet – North, ProNet – Accra, Akuapem Community Development Project (ACDEP), Afram Plains Development Organisation (APDO), New Energy and Civil Service Organisation (CSO) networks such as the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) and the Ghana Watsan Journalists Network (GWJN).

In her welcome address, Mrs. Angela Peasah, the outgoing Acting Country Representative for WaterAid Ghana, told participants that she believed the essence of the partnership between the various organisations in the water and sanitation sector is to make sure they deal with the sector problems so that all who do not have access to water and sanitation do have it.

In her view, all partners have something to offer to the partnership, which was why they had all gathered for the workshop “and that is to make sure that we help to bring water and sanitation to our people who don’t have it.”

Mrs. Peasah told the participants that the water and sanitation sector was looking up to them, as they play a very key role in the sector. She thus asked them to appreciate the roles that they play adding that they do not have any option to fail.

“When we fail it is not just about our individual organisations but it is about the sector; the sector is really counting on us because we can achieve whatever objective we have,” she said.

She charged the District Assemblies to cooperate with the various organisations in the sector and not be laid back because everything that is done in the sector is for them, since it is actually their responsibility that their citizens have what they need.

WaterAid’s Acting Country Representative said she expected the workshop to set the tone for the next strategic period. She thus charged participants to do things differently, innovate and make sure they impact the sector.

She thanked all for their cooperation during her term as acting Country Representative for WAG, which responsibility she assumed last year after the former Country Representative, Mr. Stephen Ntow had finished serving his term.

The Review Workshop, which was held from Tuesday March 30 to Wednesday March 31, 2010, involved presentation of reports by partner organisations on water and sanitation projects and activities that had gone on in the past year and the challenges that were faced during such projects and activities.

Reports were presented on integrated water and sanitation projects (IWSP) being undertaken in the Wa East, Upper East, Bawku West, Krachi East, Birim North and Dangme West districts as well as the Northern Region, and on an Urban Water and Sanitation Project in Accra. Presentations were also made by CONIWAS and GWJN.

Participants were also engaged in group work on documentation of challenges and recommendations to counter the challenges, while WAG also presented a report on its achievements, challenges and plans for the next fiscal year, its partnership experiences and did a presentation and led discussions on the 2010/2011 Partner Project Appraisals (PPAs) as well as project outputs.