Accra: Mr. Seidu Issifu, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, has emphasized the urgent need for collective action to guarantee that water continues to be a source of life, dignity, and justice for everyone. He stressed the importance of managing water resources fairly and sustainably in alignment with global principles of equity and climate justice.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Minister addressed these issues at the stakeholders meeting on Just Water Partnerships (JWPs) in Accra. The meeting was jointly organized by the Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability and WaterAid. The JWPs initiative, launched in 2023 by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW), is supported by key institutions such as WaterAid and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The initiative aims to promote justice, equity, and fairness in water resource governance, with extensive global consultations conducted to develop guiding principles.
The initiative brings together diverse stakeholders, including those from public and private sectors, academia, research institutions, civil society, and non-governmental organizations, to ensure equitable allocation and management of water resources. Mr. Issifu highlighted the shared responsibility of governments, private entities, and civil society to treat water as a common good rather than a commodity. He noted that water is crucial for sustainable development, climate resilience, peace, and social equity.
The Minister elaborated on the framework provided by the GCEW, which offers a practical path to achieving this vision by coordinating investments across various sectors, including water resources management, sanitation, hygiene, finance, and environmental governance. He emphasized the importance of these engagements to deepen collaboration, reflect on progress, and integrate the initiative more firmly within Ghana's national systems.
Mr. Issifu reiterated that justice and equity are essential for sustainable development, citing the United Nations' 2010 declaration of water and sanitation as a human right. He asserted that Ghana's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 6 reinforces the belief in managing access to safe water and sanitation equitably, ensuring no one is left behind. He acknowledged that those least responsible for climate change, such as women, children, farmers, and coastal communities, continue to bear its harshest impacts and reaffirmed commitment to the JWPs principles.
Madam Ewurabena Yanyi-Akofur, Country Director of WaterAid Ghana, highlighted the initiative's focus on ensuring justice in the financing and distribution of water resources to benefit both urban and rural communities. She noted the collaboration with the Ministry of Works, Housing, and Water Resources in national and international dialogues to advance just water governance. She emphasized the significance of Ghana having a Climate Office that recognizes the platform's critical role.
Madam Yanyi-Akofur concluded that through mutual accountability mechanisms like the JWPs, Ghana can effectively assess progress toward universal water access while ensuring investments are equitably distributed across all regions.