Africa-Press – Ghana. Stakeholders in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene have held a day’s summit to brainstorm and share ideas on how to improve water accessibility and sanitation.
They also highlighted on their experiences and challenges and strategised on the way forward.
The summit which is initiated by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ecobank, CEWAS, Young Water Solutions, SkyFox Limited and World Vision attracted over 50 participants from water, sanitation and Hygiene organisations.
It was on the theme: “Shaping the future of water, sanitation and Hygiene entrepreneurship in Ghana. Navigating opportunities. I Building ecosystems.”
Nsupreneurs Summit is a platform to bring together key stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector including entrepreneurs, financiers, experts, and policy makers, to discuss the current landscape of the sector and to explore opportunities for collaboration and growth in the sector.
Outlining the objectives of the summit Juliette Gabrion of Young Water Solutions said it was to promote entrepreneurship as a driver for universal access to clean water and sanitation, highlight key challenges in the sector, including finance, policy, and technical support.
“It is also to showcase innovations and share experiences from water and sanitation entrepreneurs and facilitate collaboration among entrepreneurs, financiers, experts, and policymakers to scale solutions,” she added.
In a speech read on his behalf Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs said the government last year signed a Presidential compact geared towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal six and plans were far advanced in updating policy on sanitation and environment.
He called on all stakeholders in the public and private sectors to supsuppor the government to close the gap between ideas and implementation.
Mr Ibrahim urged the participants to use the summit to advance goals that would ensure nobody was left behind in water. Sanitation, environment and Hygiene.
In a speech read on her behalf, Madam Charlotte Amanquah, Regional Head, Commercial Banking, Awa, Ecobank expressed gratitude for the opportunity to host the summit.
She gave the assurance that Ecobank was committed to supporting initiatives that would advance SDG 6 and also called for a holistic approach that would achieve water, sanitation and Hygiene.
Marlies Batterink of CEWAS said to achieve better results stakeholders would need to shift focus from Universities to Senior High Schools, to “catch them young.”
She suggested that students should be given opportunities to have internship programmes in WASH to whip up their enthusiasm after school.
Mr Yaw Attah Arhin, a WASH Specialist at World Vision said the summit provided ample opportunities for enterprises share experiences and network for improvement.
He said water, sanitation and Hygiene issues were critical to human existence and the summit was timely to create more awareness among stakeholders to take bold steps against challenges.
There was a panel discussion on innovative financing landscape for WASH enterprises in Ghana, from ideation to acceleration and a pitching session for some Entrepreneurs.
Under the Hackathon awards ,some enterprises were supported to achieve targets.Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba.
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