Driving Access and Equity in Water: The enabling environment for reaching last-mile communities in Ghana
On 24th April 2025, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, in collaboration with Saha Global and the Resource Centre Network, convened the 106th edition of the National Level Learning Alliance Platform (NLLAP) at the Coconut Grove Hotel, under the theme: Driving Access and Equity in Water: Enabling Environment for Last-mile Communities in Ghana.
The session highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to addressing the needs of last-mile or hard-to-reach communities, emphasizing that this is not a new conversation but a continuation of discussions that began as far back as 2010. Madam Suzy defined last-mile communities as “hard-to-reach communities.” They are known as such because they represent the final stage in service delivery and are geographically, economically, socially, and politically isolated populations. Drawing from supply chain logistics terminology, she described last-mile communities as the most challenging and resource-intensive areas for service delivery.
The Ministry stressed the need for intentional, tailored strategies rather than business-as-usual approaches, citing Saha Global’s model in the northern region as a potential entry point. The remarks also connect this effort to ongoing national reforms, including a revised water policy and Presidential compact on WASH, which recognize these communities as a strategic priority. She further noted that the outcomes and recommendations from the discussions would be incorporated into the Ministry’s ongoing policy reforms.
Saha Global shed light on the fact that small, hard-to-reach communities in the north rely on dugout and rainwater, and in most attempts to drill boreholes, have not worked. To counter this Saha Global partners with local operators to provide access to safe drinking water to hard-to-reach communities through the implementation of their SSWTS model in these communities where groundwater is not accessible/ available. The Simple Surface Water Treatment System model involves the collection of water from dugouts into containers, treatment with aluminum sulfate, transfer into polytanks, and subsequent disinfection with chlorine before consumption.
The 106th NLLAP successfully brought together stakeholders to address the pressing issue of water access in last-mile communities in Ghana. Through presentations, discussions, and breakout sessions, innovative ideas were generated on how to enhance water service delivery and ensure sustainability. The collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders was emphasized as essential for achieving equitable and sustainable water access. The event marked a significant step towards realizing the vision of driving access and equity in water for all, particularly in the most underserved communities.