World Bank Approves Funds to Boost Water and Sanitation Services in Ghana

Jun 18, 2013

The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved a US$155 million IDA grant to support the Government of Ghana’s efforts to increase access to sanitation and water supply services and to improve the capacity of government agencies to plan and manage natural resources more sustainably.

The funds will support two of the Government of Ghana’s priorities: manage natural resources in a sustainable manner and bring improved sanitation and water supply to over 3.6 million people living in and around the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).

The US$5 million IDA grant supports the Natural Resources and Environmental Governance project with Technical Assistance. The project is designed to provide technical assistance to help improve the capacity of government agencies to plan, manage and use natural resources in selected sectors more effectively and sustainably. The project will support the analytical work, policy dialogue, consultations and capacity building to address critical sector challenges identified in the first phase of the NREG Program (2008-2012).

“The high rate of environmental resource degradation exacts a heavy toll on Ghana, an annual cost of about ten percent of GDP,” said Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director of Sustainable Development, Africa Region. “These funds will help the Government better manage its natural resources, particularly its forests, and bring more jobs and improved livelihood opportunities to people living in the country’s rural and forest areas.”

The second IDA grant of $US150 million will support the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water Project, a five year program designed to bring sanitation facilities and water supply to residents in the GAMA with emphasis on low income communities and to strengthen management of environmental sanitation.

The services will be identified by each community through a participatory process, with a goal of selecting options that best suit residents’ needs, especially women, who have the responsibility to get water in most households. The project selection will take into account the specific physical conditions of each community, such as soil characteristics and space availability.

“Ghana’s economic growth has been accompanied by rapid urbanization. But the provision of basic services has not kept up, and it is particularly affecting people living in low-income areas,” said Ventura Bengoechea World Bank Task Team Leader for the project. “I look forward to helping to effective implementation of this project and to bringing improved sanitation and water services benefiting many low-income GAMA residents.”

Contact

The World Bank

Aby K. Toure

1818 H Street

20433 Washington, DC

United States

Phone:

+1 (202) 473-8302

E-Mail:

akonate@worldbank.org

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