CONWAS validates 2026 WASH budget, warns of $1.7b funding gap

The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has convened a validation workshop in Accra to scrutinize the proposed 2026 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) budget allocations, warning that current funding levels fall critically short of what is needed to achieve national and international targets.

The workshop brought together stakeholders to assess whether planned government spending aligns with the ambitious goals outlined in the Ghana Presidential WASH Compact and Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2030.

US$1.7 Billion Annual Gap

Participants at the event highlighted a significant funding shortfall, noting that achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation within the next four years requires an estimated annual investment of US$1.7 billion. According to the coalition’s analysis, current budget allocations cover only about 10 percent of this necessary funding, raising serious concerns about long-term sustainability.

Priority Areas for 2026

The validation workshop identified three key focus areas for the upcoming budget cycle:

Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Stakeholders called for investments in WASH systems designed to withstand the growing impacts of climate change, including recurrent droughts and flooding that increasingly threaten water infrastructure across the country.

School and Healthcare WASH: The coalition advocated for dedicated funding to improve Infection Prevention and Control in health facilities, as well as enhanced sanitation infrastructure in schools to create safer learning environments.

Rural-Urban Equity: Strengthening the Community Water and Sanitation Agency was identified as a priority to reform rural water delivery and ensure “safely managed” services reach marginalized communities that have historically been underserved.

Push for Accountability

The workshop follows recent strategic engagements between CONIWAS and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources. Civil society organizations present at the event called for transparent reporting and demonstrated “value for money” in the utilization of public funds.

“The journey we are on is built on the fundamental truth that without WASH services, sustainable development will remain an elusive dream,” the coalition stated in a communiqué.

CONIWAS urged the government to treat the WASH sector as a key driver for economic growth, noting its potential to generate employment through waste management enterprises and small-scale water businesses within the framework of the 24-hour economy initiative.

The validated inputs from the workshop are expected to inform advocacy efforts ahead of the final budget approval process.