The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a €1,979,000 grant to finance the a water, sanitation and hygiene service delivery project designed to help the urban poor in three pilot towns in Ghana within the framework of a tripartite partnership involving the government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

Despite ongoing sector reforms and the development of comprehensive policies, the provision of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services to Ghana's urban poor remains a key challenge. According to a study by the Ghana Statistical Service in 2006, about 40% of Ghana's urban population relies on public latrines which are often inadequate. Service failures occur frequently and the growing population and poverty in urban areas pose greater challenges.

To address this problem, local governments have embarked on providing water, sanitation and hygiene facilities; raising awareness and promoting private sector participation in the management of public latrines.

Contacts

Yvan Cliche