1.0             ACTIVITIES   

To whip up enthusiasm towards the observance of the Day, the National Planning Committee, under the auspices of the Ministry of the Sanitation and Water Resources, organized some activities- Before the event, the Main Day, and after the celebration to raise awareness and promote practical ways to safeguard water use by encouraging good attitude to safeguard our water sources.

1.1             PRE-EVENT ACTIVITIES

The following activities were organised as part of the programme. This included Media Engagements, Webinars, Awareness Creation as well as the climax.

1.1.1            National Media Launch & Media Engagements

The National Planning Committee to highlight the event organised the National Media launch of World Water Day on Monday 18^th March 2024 at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Conference.

At the launch, the Hon. Amidu Issahku Chinnia, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources stated the essence of the day and invited the media and stakeholders to advocate for water safety and the protection of our

water bodies, to get more resources to provide water for all Ghanaian. Other speakers at the Media launch included, Dr. Bob Alfa, Ag. Executive Secretary for Water Resources and Ing. Kwabena Duku, Ag. Director, Water Directorate. The programme was well attended by the media, staff of the ministry as well as staff of WRC, and some members of the National Planning Committee.

As part of the programme, a slot was created for media engagements and was arranged for key people to speak with the media organisations invited for the programme. The slot encouraged the media to seek further details on the programme which generated some publicity for the event.

1.1.2  Production of Educational Materials

As part of raising awareness for the programme, some educational materials including e-flyers, four (4) banners and 150 T- shirts were produced. Whereas the e-flyers highlighting the activities of the celebrations were posted on various social media handles, the banner was hung at various vantage points leading to the venue of the programme. The T-shirts were also distributed among partners, sponsors, patrons, and participants before the programme.

1.1.3   Stakeholder Engagement

To galvanise support for the programme and to raise the essence of the day, the National Planning Committee held a series of engagements with partner institutions, as well as with some state intuitions. A team of the Planning Committee engaged the Abuakwa South Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Akosua Asabea and some members of the Assembly on the essence of the World Water Day celebration and invited them to join the celebration on March 22.

Likewise, the Planning Committee members further engaged the Commander of the South Eastern Regional Command of the Police Service at Kyebi and invited them to be part of the programme and efforts to protect our water bodies.

The team also engaged the Assembly member and the Unit Committee members of Potroase about why we all needed to play our part in the fair usage of water to avert the related tension that may come with it.

The group equally engaged Barimah Ansah Sasraku II, Chief of Potroase and his elders about the theme, where he the Chief shared some efforts, he has made in preventing illegal mining in the area. He expressed his optimism in working together with the mandate institutions to preserve the waterbodies in the Densu and other streams in the town.

Similarly, teachers and students of both Potroase MA Basic School and Potroase Presbyterian were engaged in the essence of the World Water Day theme. They staged a sketch to throw light on the peculiar challenges concerning polluting the source of Densu and educated the public to preserve our water bodies.

2.1.2      Community-Based Water Resources Training

As part of the World Water Celebration, the Ankobra Basin of the Water Resources Commission in collaboration with the University of Mines and Technology trained over 350 individuals belonging to the Community-based organisations at the University of Mine and Technology (UMat) Main auditorium in Tarkwa.

1.1.4         World Water Day Webinar

To further promote a deeper appreciation of the WWD programme, the Planning Committee organised a webinar on the topic: Leveraging Water for Peace; the Ghanian Perspectives- on Tuesday 19^th March 2024 delivered by Ing. Prof. Eric Ofosu Antwi, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UNER), Sunyani-Ghana as the main resource person. Mr. Frank Teye Oblim of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research- Water Research Institute, moderated the programme which was participated by about a hundred participants drawn from the academia, media, stakeholders in the water sector, and the ministries among other members of the public.

Besides shedding light on the topic with anecdotal short videos about the several scenarios that could heighten water- related conflicts, the erudite Prof. Antwi stated the need for the fair and equitable utilisation and sustainable management of the water resources by all stakeholders and users to engender peace. The contextualisation of the presentation in the Ghanaian setting, enabled the appreciation of the topic, as reflected in the contributions, questions, and comments after the webinar.

1.2            AWARENESS CREATION CAMPAIGN

In line with the initial goal of establishing the day, almost all the activities organised for the celebration were geared towards raising awareness and inviting the general public to join sector players to act with urgency to address the water and sanitation crisis confronting us and to attain SDG, 6.

1.2.1         Sensitization Training on Competing Uses of Water, 19^th March 2024

The event targeted the various water users and drilling companies in the Black Volta Basin. Participants were taken through the mandate, activities, and plans of the Water Resources Commission. As part of the sensitization training, participants were taken through the regulations and permitting of drillers and water users as well as water use regulatory requirements. The event was attended by various hostel managers, drilling companies, operators of guesthouses and hotels as well as sachet water producing companies.

1.2.2       MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS

Arrangements for slots were made as part of the media engagement efforts to ginger discussion around the topic. After the launch, efforts were made to carry the media through the activities organised for the day throughout the country. Besides the press coverage of the events, some national regional, and community-based radio stations granted several over 55 interview sessions to speak on the relevance of the day. The interview sessions: in-person, studio discussion, and telephone interviews were granted which amplified the awareness of World Water Day.

1.2.3         ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

The World Water Day Social Media Committee designed some e-flyers carrying details of the activities and webinars which were shared on WhatsApp, Facebook, and LinkedIn, including those of WRC social media handles.

Indeed, as part of the campaign, the World Water Day Social Media Committee developed a short video that was shared on various social media platforms.

1.3            SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES

• Students Fair on Water Resources Conflict Management-20th March 2024

Two selected schools (Wa Senior High School and T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School in the Upper West Region) participated in the student fair on Water Resources Conflict Management. The event brought together stakeholders from CWSA, WRC, the Gender Department, Wa Municipal Assembly, and EPA. These students and stakeholders were introduced to water resources conflict management and instances where water resources use conflicts may occur and how they can be best tackled.

As part of the fair, there was a dialogue between the participating schools on some key topics concerning water resources conflict management. The interactive programme enabled the students to ask questions. Some stakeholders from the various institutions made useful inputs to the submissions from the various schools to provide a clear understanding of water resources conflict.

Dr. Joachim Abungba Ayiiwe, made a brief presentation on Water Resources Conflict Management highlighted what conflict was and cited some of the causes of conflict in relation to water resources, which he said were induced by demographic change, natural resources competition, developmental pressures and structural injustices. He noted that consensus building, was key to curbing instances of conflicts among people in a society.

1.3.2   Inter-Departmental Quiz Competition (2024 Water Challenge)

An inter-departmental Quiz competition was held at the UMat as part of the activities of the World Water celebration. The competition was aimed at sharing knowledge among the students.

2.0            COMMEMORATION OF WORLD WATER DAY, 22ND MARCH 2024

The National Climax of the 2024 World Water Day, held at the Akyem Potroase MA School Park in the Eastern Region, was spiced with speeches, cultural performances, poetry recitals, engagements with the Chief of Potroase to harness efforts in protecting the source of Densu river and other streams in the area. The goal was to increase awareness and provide workable solutions for ensuring water availability in its right quantity and quality for the impartial use of all. The primary objective of the event was to engage all individuals in water management, hence mitigating disputes connected to water. In all, about 600 participants participated in the celebration. This included staff of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Water Resources Commission, UNESCO, Ghana Water Limited; Community Water and Sanitation Agency, Water Research Institute, PURC, VRA, Arocha Ghana, Rural Water of the Church of Christ, Members of the Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly, the Chief of Potroase, Ghana Police Service (South Eastern Regional Command) and students, Community members, and the students.

2.1  MEDIA SENSITISATION

Before the commencement of the events and even during the climax there were several media phone in as well as morning interactions on some of the radio stations in Accra, Takoradi, Tarkwa, Wa and Bunsu that granted interviews to stakeholders the World Water Day and what was being done to avert water conflict. The sessions further gave a boost and added colour to the day.

2.2  CLIMAX

The programme organised was chaired by Mr. Minta Afosa Aboagye, Board Chairman of the Water Resources Commission. The solidarity messages were read by UNESCO, GWCL, CWSA, and CONIWAS, with the keynote addressed being read on behalf of the Minister by Mr. Kwabena Doku, Ag. Director, Water Directorate of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources generally stressed the need for strengthening collaboration to avert the water conflicts in the country.

• Chairman’s Remarks: Mintah A. Aboagye who chaired the occassion observed that water was a precious thing that we all should work to preserve. He stated that since the students have aptly captured the message in the play, there was the need for all to help support the stop the practices that affect our waterbodies.
• Potrasehene Barimah Ansah Sasraku II in his remarks expressed appreciation to the organisers of the World Water Day and for selecting Potroase to climax the event. He bemoaned the destruction of our water bodies and urged the people of his community to stop engaging in illegal mining which was destroying their waterbodies.
• Bob Alfa, Ag. Executive Secretary, of the Water Resources Commission, observed the purpose of the gathering and emphasised the fact that water connects each of us. He therefore echoed the urgent for all stakeholders not raise awareness so that we would keep preserve our water resources.
• Collins Nuamah, GWCL, stated that water knows no boundaries yet we cannot overlook the fact that water is a privilege to many. Let us harness the power of dialogue to safeguard a more peaceful environment

• Madam Sophia Asiedu, CWSA, Eastern Region stated it was time for all players in the water sector to protect all water bodies. She stressed an investment in water could promote economic growth of the She ended by saying access to water is a fundamental right for everyone.
• Kwabena Duku, Ag. Director, of the Water Directorate of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, in a keynote address, acknowledged the importance of freshwater resources and commended past efforts to improve sanitation and access to potable water. He stressed that the theme for this year’s World Water Day, “Leveraging Water for Peace, brings to bear the need for equitable and sustainable utilization of water resources. While calling for continued efforts to preserve water resources to ensure equitable access, he entreated the participants to conserve water and protect water bodies by reporting those mining in rivers. He also urged stakeholders to cooperate and raise awareness of water conservation.

2.3            LAUNCHING OF UNITED NATIONS WORLD WATER DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2024

The dignitaries including the Rep of UNESCO, the Rep of the Minister, the Chairman of the Programme, Ag. Executive Secretary of the Water Resources Commission, the Chief of Potroase, and the dignitaries present launched the 153-page United Nations World Water Development Report 2024 titled: Water for Prosperity and Peace.

They called on all stakeholders to play their part in promoting water for peace by caring for water resources and advocating for their preservation.

3.0              OTHER ACTIVITIES

Several activities were not directly organised by the National Planning Committee but by other organisations including a Policy Dialogue organised by the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission and the GIMPA School. Moreover, Cape Coast

University and Ghana Water Ltd also organised several activities in the country as part of the effort to commemorate the day.

4.0            PARTICIPATION

Participants in the World Water Day programmes were fairly represented by the institutions and stakeholders within the Water Sector, as well as students, youth, women groups, and political actors. The Webinar was lively, interactive, and rich in content which offered participants the opportunity to ask questions.