The Water, Sanitation and Hy­giene (WASH) Technical Coordi­nator for the NGO, Mr Yaw Atta Arhin, said “while Ghana has made remarkable progress in respect of access to safe water, it is regretta­ble that the same cannot be said about environmental sanitation. Progress towards universal access to improved sanitation and ending open defecation continues to be very slow.”

He was speaking at the launch of the 2023 edition of the School Sanitation Solutions (Triple S) Challenge, in Accra on Thursday.

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP), Zoomlion Foundation and Kings Hall Media, the programme sought to unearth knowledge and solu­tion-oriented ideas of children to solve Ghana’s sanitation challenges, through competition.

Mr Arhin said there had been a tremendous achievement since the introduction of the programme, and that, it had Influence children to become sanitation conscious and agents of change.

He said it had also challenge children to co-create sustainable solutions to sanitation challeng­es in their communities and to become advocates for the removal of barriers and increased access to improved sanitation, particularly in basic schools.

“The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Child Sanitation Diplomats – Neriah Tettey of Silicon Valley Interna­tional School, Ofankor, Accra, Naziru Mawadatu of Damongo Girls Model JHS and Maame Akua Ohenewaa Gyimah have all been worthy ambassadors in the effort to defeat poor sanitation,” Mr Arhin said.

The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, in a speech read on her behalf by the Programmes Manager at the MSWR, Mrs Esi Boni-Morkla, said government recognised the initiative that was in accordance with the sustainable development goal 17.

She said for children to be agent of change, they needed safe environment and this could be achieved through improved sanita­tion conditions.

Mrs Dapaah urged children to promote good sanitation practices, saying “when children understand issues of sanitation, Ghana will get its sanitation right.”

The Schools Sanitation Solu­tion Challenge, dubbed “Triple S” encourages students to write an open letter to identify a major sanitation problem in their schools or communities and how it can be addressed.

Among others, students who enter the competition, are expected to describe how the problem of sanitation is adversely affecting teaching and learning and discuss proposals for addressing it in a sustainable manner.

The 2023 edition of the ‘Triple S’ which is fourth in the series, is opened to all students in the country from primary four (4) up to Junior High School 2.

The contest, which is expected to run from March to September, 2023, will have 10 participants shortlisted from two Master-class encounters (Northern and South­ern belts) to compete in the finals, which will be held at the National Theater in Accra.

The overall winner would be unveiled as a “Child Sanitation Diplomat” to spearhead sanitation development projects.