The Senior Leadership Team of World Vision Ghana organized a media engagement and panel discussion on the occasion of the 2025 World Water Day, with the theme: “Unlocking the Barriers to Safe Drinking Water Delivery in Ghana: Everybody, Everywhere.” The event brought together stakeholders from various sectors of water sanitation and hygiene to discuss the challenges surrounding access to safe drinking water in the country.
During the media engagement, Ibrahim Ahmed, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, highlighted the significant challenges that Ghana faces in providing access to safe water. He chronicled the devastating effects that the barriers to safe water delivery have had on communities and underscored the need for urgent action to protect the country’s water bodies from further degradation. Ahmed stressed that pollution from plastics and illegal mining activities, which contaminate water sources, not only endanger the availability and quality of water but also increase the cost of treatment.
Current statistics reveal that 3.9 million people in Ghana still lack access to potable water, a situation that not only paints a bleak picture of water accessibility but also threatens the livelihood of many Ghanaians. The Minister emphasized the need for more investments in water systems and strong governance to address these challenges.
Professor Simon Mariwah, a Development Geographer from the University of Cape Coast, also spoke at the event, proposing sustained functionality and service levels of water systems through effective monitoring, evaluation plans, and necessary investments for all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). He stressed that the responsibility to ensure the delivery of safe water rests on consistent efforts to maintain water systems and improve service delivery.
In reaffirming the government’s commitment to increasing access to safe drinking water, Minister Ibrahim Ahmed drew a direct connection between water, sanitation, and health. He highlighted the importance of water conservation in ensuring that future generations have access to clean water and that the country can move towards sustainable development.
The event was a call to action for all stakeholders to come together to overcome the barriers to safe water delivery in Ghana. There was a collective recognition that with increased investment, strong governance, and sustained efforts, the country can achieve universal access to clean and safe drinking water for all its citizens.
