A Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Kwadwo Agyekum, on behalf of the Minister has given the green light for the take-off of the Ghana Netherland Water and Sanitation Programme (GNWP).

He gave the green light in Accra today when he delivered the keynote address to officially usher in the GNWP project, in a programme attended by delegation from the Netherlands Embassy, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Metropolitan and Municipal Chief Executives, stakeholders among others.

“I want to assure that we are fully committed to the programme. As individuals we have a responsibility of contributing our quota to change the dynamics of this nation,” he said.

The project seeks to support deprived areas in urban centres that needed support for social amenities and sanitation projects.

The beneficiary Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies (MMAs) are Cape Coast Metropolitan, Ga Central, Ga South, Ga West and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem Municipalities in the Central and Greater Accra Regions.

Speaking at the programme, Mr. Kwadwo Agyekum said sanitation was very important to the health, economic and social development of any nation and that any adverse effect on sanitation would negatively impact gains achieved in the other areas of development.

He said despite successes chalked in areas such as poverty reduction, education, water supply and health, little progress has been made in environment and sanitation hence the need to do more in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals target on sanitation.

The Deputy Ambassador of Netherlands, Mr. Van Dijk for his part called for commitment from the Ghanaian counterparts as well as behavioral change.

The programme is expected to last for five years.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/Ghanadistricts.com