ActionAid Ghana (AAG) is placing renewed emphasis on community ownership and maintenance of vital water infrastructure established under its Community Action Plans (CAPs) initiative, a move aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability and resilience in beneficiary communities.
During a working visit to the Upper West Region, the Country Director of AAG, Mr. John Nkaw, underscored the importance of local responsibility in safeguarding the gains made through development interventions. He urged residents to take proactive steps to maintain the newly provided water systems, stressing that community commitment would determine the success and durability of the projects.
Speaking at Pavuu in the Lawra Municipality, Mr. Nkaw explained that the initiative — funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project under the European Union Ghana Agricultural Programme (EUGAP) — was designed to empower communities to lead their own development agenda.
“The sustainability of these boreholes and mechanised systems depends largely on how well the communities take care of them,” he said. “When facilities are well managed, they not only serve current and future generations but also attract more development support.”
The CAPs intervention supports several initiatives, including hand-pump boreholes, mechanised water systems, conservation agriculture demonstration sites, agroforestry projects, dams, and irrigation facilities across the Lawra, Wa West, Wa, and Jirapa municipalities.
Beyond improving access to potable water, the projects aim to ease the domestic burden on women and promote girls’ education. Mr. Nkaw noted that improved access to clean water would “encourage men to share domestic responsibilities, giving women more time to engage in economic activities and helping to reduce gender-based violence.”
To ensure effective management of the facilities, AAG has established and trained Water and Sanitation Management Committees (WSMCs) in each beneficiary community. The Upper West Regional Manager of ActionAid Ghana, Madam Abiba Nibaradun, called on the committees to maintain high standards of hygiene and functionality around the facilities.
Community members expressed deep appreciation for the intervention. At Pavuu, Madam Gladys Gbangpuo described the borehole as life-changing, saying residents had long struggled with water scarcity. Similarly, at Kalsegr-Gyanvuur, Madam Monica Putiewiir recounted how women previously walked long distances to fetch water from neighbouring communities — a challenge that has now been resolved.
“This borehole is a saviour,” she said. “We can now fetch water easily after farm work without walking long distances at night.”
The CAP projects form part of AAG’s broader Country Strategic Paper VII, focusing on agroecology, food sovereignty, green livelihoods, and water access. They also advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which seeks to ensure sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
By empowering local communities to take charge of their water systems, ActionAid Ghana is not only improving daily living conditions but also building resilience against the impacts of climate change in northern Ghana.
