Goal 6 of the SDG calls for the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all people. As Ghana joined the celebration of ‘World Water Day’ on Friday on the theme, ‘leaving no one behind’, the question still remains if Ghana will be able to make water available and ensuring a sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (Ghanaweb, 2019).

World Water Day is held annually as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The day is also an opportunity to learn more about water-related issues. Water is an essential building block of life. It is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development.

The group mentioned that the general inequality in the distribution of water between the rich and the poor is a growing concern. Vice Chairman of CONIWAS, Attah Arhin, in an interview said a lot more of concerted effort is need to address this worrying concern (Ghanaweb, 2019).

“We have realized that segments of the public still don’t have sustainable access to [water]. So there is a lot of inequality in the system. We are calling the attention of government to bridge this inequality which we believe can hamper our efforts in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 which is water and sanitation.”

“In Ghana, people in the Greater Accra Region are 98 percent likely to have access to safe water as compared to those in the Northern Region who have 50 percent . So these are the challenges we are drawing government’s attention to. We need to address them so that everybody anywhere will have access to sustainable water; otherwise we will not go far,” he stressed.

SDG 6 mandates countries to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. While at this, they are also to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations (Ghanaweb, 2019).