According to him, the emergence of a critical mass of development workers who embrace ED as a philosophy, and a way of life for a people as well as in community project interventions tend to promote sustainability.

The Policy Manager made these statements in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga during a three day capacity building training for staff working at the Bongo and Kassena-Nanka West District Assemblies as well as some local NGOs in the Upper East Region in Water, Sanitation and hygiene (WASH)and related issues.

The training was climaxed by the launch of the Africa Center for Endogenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), and its Education For WASH (ED4WASH) programme dubbed WASH school.

Mr Uzondu said WAG was happy to support interventions that strengthened capacities of practitioners who could use the approach from a framework which recognized Indigenous knowledge and culture of a people as drivers for development.

He said WAG, over the years, worked closely with CIKOD in ED approach and added that his outfit’s support for the WASH school was in recognition of the Indigenous Knowledge and need for provision of capacity strengthening of individuals and organizations that could use the approach in their work.

He reiterated that community projects were identified by communities and therefore as development agents, who facilitate the process for communities to realize their dreams and needs, it was vital to use local people’s knowledge and systems to drive development.

He noted that communities interested in transforming their lives must be supported through ED approach and direction to transform their health and total wellbeing.

Mr Rockson Bukari, Upper East Regional Minister, who addressed participants at the function acknowledged the role of the WASH institute and its contribution in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Water and Sanitation.

Mr Bukari expressed appreciation for the efforts development partners have made in supporting Government to confront water and sanitation challenges in the country.

The Minister further noted that there were still rising demands for safe drinking water as more people in rural areas use traditional sources of water, particularly from ponds and unprotected wells which could easily be polluted, causing waterborne diseases.

He bemoaned activities of some NGOs who use the name of communities to source funding to enrich themselves without helping to better the lives of the rural poor and urged all to live above reproach by making their programmes visible for the benefit of people.