The Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council, in collaboration with IRC Ghana, has launched the district-wide Full WASH Coverage Project, which will provide access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services to three Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the Ahafo Region. The participating MDAs are Asunafo North, Tano North, and Asunafo South. The initiative builds upon the success of the "Asutifi North Ahonidie Mpuntuo (ANAM) Initiative," which began in 2017 with a 13-year masterplan aimed at promoting universal access to WASH services for the current populations of 84,420 people in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Starting in January 2023, IRC Ghana will expand the ANAM initiative to include three new Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the Ahafo Region, with a renewal grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The Country Director for IRC, Mrs. Vida Duti, commended the Asutifi North District Assembly for their performance and encouraged the new beneficiary MDAs to follow suit. Mrs. Duti is hopeful that if the new MDAs successfully achieve full WASH coverage, it may pave the way for the remaining two districts in the Ahafo Region to receive support for a district-wide full WASH coverage initiative.
Honorable George Boakye, the Regional Minister for the Ahafo Region, expressed his optimism for the project, stating that he strongly hopes to see a significant improvement in water and sanitation infrastructure across the region by the end of the planned period. He emphasized the importance of these improvements in supporting the overall growth and development of the Ahafo region. Honorable Yaw Osei Boateng, the Chief Executive for Asunafo North, speaking on behalf of the other newly selected MDAs, assured the gathering that they are committed to delivering and achieving the goals set by the project.
The launch event took place on June 9, 2022, and it served as a platform to share the main highlights of the project and engage stakeholders in discussions about its implementation. Several organizations have collaborated for the project implementation, including World Vision, Aquaya Institute, Safe Water Network, Netcentric Campaigns, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation provided most of the funding for the project.