Climate change is no longer a distant challenge for Ghana—it is already straining the nation’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems and exacerbating preventable health crises, government officials have warned.
Speaking at the WASH4Climate Summit in Accra, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Mr. Seidu Issifu, described the climate crisis as a direct threat to livelihoods and public health. He highlighted that poor water and sanitation currently contribute to roughly 70% of preventable diseases in Ghana, with diarrhoea alone responsible for 25% of deaths among children under five. Approximately 1,000 under-five deaths each year are linked to polluted water sources, underscoring the urgent need for climate-informed WASH planning.
The summit, held under the theme “Strengthening WASH Resilience through Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment and Local Adaptation Planning,” presented findings from a Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (CVRA) conducted in five Upper East Region districts: Bongo, Kassena-Nankana Municipal, Kassena-Nankana West, Nabdam, and Bawku West.
Mr. Issifu emphasized that adaptation strategies must be rooted in local realities and evidence. To coordinate these efforts, the Ministry plans to establish a Climate Change and Sustainability Hub and to institutionalize Climate Change Units across all Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
WaterAid Ghana’s Programmes Manager for WASH and Climate Change, Mr. Richard Ntibrey, detailed the climate-driven water challenges facing communities. Prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall are reducing surface and groundwater availability, while rising temperatures increase evaporation and reduce recharge. He noted that 70% of households rely on unimproved sanitation facilities, leaving populations highly vulnerable during climate-related events.
The summit called for immediate measures, including rainwater harvesting, improved water storage, efficient irrigation, flood-protected sanitation units, climate-resilient water systems, and early warning mechanisms for floods and droughts.
Mr. Issifu urged stakeholders, including development partners and donors, to mobilize resources to scale up WASH adaptation strategies, stressing that “strengthening resilience today is vital to protect lives, safeguard health, and secure the nation’s future.”
