Background: The project rationale emanates from the dire need to increase access to safe, sustainable and inclusive sanitation and hygiene, with improved management of faecal sludge for people living in small and medium size urban centres in Ghana. The project is in line with the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA-II 2014–2017) relevant Policy Objectives that include: (a) ensuring efficient management of water resources through Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM); (b) adopting a sector-wide approach to water and environmental sanitation delivery; (c) accelerating the provision of adequate, safe and affordable environmental sanitation facilities; (d) ensuring the development and implementation of effective behaviour change communication approaches as components of all water and sanitation programmes; and (e) ensuring secure, adequate and sustainable financing for sector programmes and activities. The Project demonstrates Government commitment to improve the quality of life and living conditions of Ghanaians, and provides opportunity for better sanitation planning, and increased sector investments.
Objectives: The overall objective of the project is to contribute to increase access to safe, sustainable and inclusive sanitation services, with improved hygiene and faecal sludge management (FSM) services for people living in small and medium size urban centres in Ghana. The specific objectives are to contribute to: (a) increase access to safe, sustainable and inclusive on site sanitation facilities; (b) increase access to efficient and sustainable faecal sludge management (FSM) infrastructure and services; (c) creation of opportunities for increased investments in the sanitation sub sector.
Description: The project will be implemented under two components as follows:
Component 1: Feasibility studies and engineering design consisting of activities that contribute to increase sustainable access to faecal sludge management (FSM) infrastructure and services for people living in small and medium size urban centres. It involves studies, including socio economic, technical, institutional and financial assessments, campaigns, baseline studies, site selection and investigations, engineering design for collection and treatment infrastructure and services; and development of innovative strategies to promote and market FS reuse products, and preparation of investment and implementation plans to facilitate future investments, among others.
Component 2: Project management involves project and knowledge management activities. This component comprises project execution, implementation, control and supervision activities to be undertaken by the implementing institutions.
The project’s direct beneficiaries are the Urban Dwellers, Municipalities, Town Councils, and Sector Ministries. With realization of the downstream investments, the direct beneficiaries would be the (a) initial 917,650, and subsequently by 2030, the 1,084,259 urban dwellers in small and medium urban centres without adequate access to sustainable and inclusive sanitation services. The study will likely contribute to the creation of about 200 new jobs following realization of the downstream investments. Other indirect beneficiaries are Private Sector Operators, local NGOs and CBOs, etc.
Cost and financing: The estimated total project cost is EUR 1,526,304. AWF will contribute € 1,044,264, representing 68% while the Government of the Republic of Ghana will contribute the remainder through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) and Municipal Authorities. It is expected that the Project will be implemented over a total duration of 30 months.
Recommendation: It is recommended that a Grant not exceeding € 1,044,264 from the African Water Facility Special Fund be awarded to the Republic of Ghana for the implementation of the project as described in this appraisal report.