Ghana’s Perspective: Bridging Political Leadership and Financial Accountability for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Hon. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, Ghana’s Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, gave the opening remarks for the Heads of State session at World Water Week: Bridging WASH Political Leadership and Financial Accountability. Below are highlights of the speech.
At the current pace, according to the UN-Water SDG 6 Synthesis Report, we remain far off track to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6—water and sanitation for all--by 2030.
This gloomy picture goes beyond statistics. It is about lives, dignity, and opportunity. The absence of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services fuels preventable diseases, keeps children (especially girls) out of school, undermines gender equality, and erodes climate resilience.
Against this backdrop, political leadership is indispensable. But leadership must be matched with accountability. And accountability is only meaningful when it is backed by robust monitoring frameworks and financial transparency.
Ghana’s Journey: From Commitments to Accountability
In Ghana, we view WASH not simply as a social service but as a driver of health, productivity, and economic growth. Guided by both national priorities and global frameworks, we have taken deliberate steps to transform political will into measurable outcomes. Prioritizing WASH is both a political imperative and a moral obligation.
1. The Ghana WASH Compact
A nationally owned framework that consolidates commitments, defines clear targets, and establishes platforms for mutual accountability. It aligns with our development plans and ensures that WASH investments are not ad hoc but rooted in a long-term vision.
2. The Ghana WASH Sector Development Programme (GWSDP)
Our sector-wide plan that harmonizes fragmented initiatives, brings stakeholders together, and provides a common investment framework to accelerate progress.
3. WASH Accounts of Ghana
A tool that tracks financial flows from government, households, donors, and private sector actors. This evidence-based approach has already revealed critical financing gaps and shaped more equitable resource allocation. It answers the key question: Are we putting our money where our commitments are?
4. Ghana’s Emerging WASH Financial Strategy
Currently under development, this strategy aims to secure sustainable financing by expanding domestic resources, leveraging blended finance, strengthening expenditure efficiency, and institutionalizing accountability.
Ghana’s Roadmap
The intersection between political leadership, robust monitoring frameworks and financial accountability defines Ghana’s roadmap to SDG 6, which are:
To provide universal and equitable access to safe water by 2030, paying particular attention to the hard-to-reach communities
To drastically reduce or eliminate open defecation by 2030.
To ensure adequate WASH services in all schools and health facilities.
To embed climate resilience and gender equity in all WASH programmes.
But no government can achieve these goals alone. Success requires alignment, partnership, and shared accountability.
Lessons Beyond Ghana
From Ghana’s experience, three lessons stand out for all countries working toward SDG 6:
Political will is indispensable—but it must be matched with financial transparency.
Robust monitoring frameworks are the bridge between commitments and results.
Mutual accountability among governments, partners, civil society, and the private sector is non-negotiable.
At this critical moment, I call on governments, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society, and communities everywhere: let us ensure that every WASH commitment is backed by evidence, financing, and accountability.
Together, we can bridge the gap between political leadership and financial accountability—and deliver on the promise of water and sanitation for all.
