Through the WASH Systems Strengthening Project, IRC Ghana and Tano North Municipal Assembly, with support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has commissioned new water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities designed to improve daily life, protect public health and strengthen local systems for long-term service delivery.
The commissioning ceremony, held at Susuanho R/C Basic School, brought together municipal leaders, traditional authorities, school representatives, health workers, community members and development partners. Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Pius Sampson Opoku, Municipal Chief Executive for the Tano North Municipal Assembly, described the event as a significant milestone in improving quality of life through sustainable access to safe water, improved sanitation and better hygiene practices.
"These facilities represent dignity, health, safety and opportunity for our communities," he said.
Facilities Delivered Across Four Sites
The latest package of WASH investments directly benefits more than 2,900 people across four locations: Duayaw Nkwanta Islamic Basic School, Susuanho R/C Basic School, Tano Ano CHPS facility and Nkurakan Community in the Bomaa Zonal Council. Together, these investments are improving access to safe water, gender-responsive sanitation and handwashing services where they are needed most, while hygiene education and sensitisation activities are expected to benefit many more residents.
At Duayaw Nkwanta Islamic Basic School, the project delivered a two-block toilet facility with a girls' changing room and supporting amenities, alongside the mechanisation of a borehole with solar powered water station. The facilities will serve 744 students, comprising 370 girls and 374 boys, as well as 20 teachers.
At Susuanho R/C Basic School, the project provided a two-block toilet facility with a girls' changing room and supporting amenities, together with a drilled and solar powered mechanised borehole. For a school that had struggled with inadequate sanitation for more than a decade, the new facilities represent a major improvement in learner safety, comfort and dignity. They will benefit 518 students, including 255 girls and 263 boys, and 16 teachers.
At the Tano Ano CHPS facility, the project delivered a solar powered mechanised borehole, water points, a toilet facility for clients and a permanent handwashing station. The intervention will reach 1,083 people, including clients based on average annual out-patient attendance and facility staff, while supporting cleaner, safer and more dignified healthcare delivery.
In Nkurakan Community in the Bomaa Zonal Council, the project drilled and mechanised a borehole with solar powered water station, extending improved access to safe water for 524 community members.
Beyond Infrastructure
Beyond the physical infrastructure, speakers emphasised that the facilities form part of a broader effort to strengthen WASH service delivery across the municipality.
The keynote address highlighted IRC Ghana's five-year WASH systems strengthening strategy for 2025-2029, launched in September 2024 and aligned with both the Tano North Ahonidie Dwumadie WASH Master Plan and the Municipal Medium-Term Development Plan. The strategy aims to ensure that by 2030, every resident of Tano North has access to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services in homes, schools, healthcare facilities and public institutions.
Safer Schools, Dignified Care, Healthier Futures
For learners, the investment means safer school days, greater privacy and a healthier learning environment. For girls in particular, access to sanitation facilities with changing rooms can help reduce discomfort and support regular school attendance. For health workers and clients at the CHPS facility, reliable water and sanitation services make routine care, antenatal services and deliveries safer and more dignified.
At Susuanho R/C Basic School, the excitement surrounding the new facilities was evident as pupils gathered around the new solar powered water system following the commissioning ceremony, eager to see clean water flowing from the taps for the first time.
The impact is already being felt by beneficiaries. According to a teacher at Susuanho R/C Basic School:
"For many years, our school struggled with inadequate sanitation facilities and unreliable access to water. These new facilities will help create a healthier environment for our pupils and allow them to focus more on learning."
Speaking at the ceremony, IRC Ghana Country Director Vida Duti reinforced the importance of equity in service delivery.
"Universal access to water and sanitation should not be a privilege for a few, but a reality for everyone."
She described the commissioning as a clear example of what strong partnerships can achieve when local authorities, communities and development partners work together around a shared goal.
Albert Damte, Ahafo Branch President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commended the quality of the work and encouraged communities and institutions to care for the facilities responsibly. He reminded beneficiaries that these investments are intended to serve not only current users but also future generations.
Partnerships for Sustainable WASH Services
The commissioning was more than a ceremonial handover. It served as a reminder that infrastructure delivers lasting value only when supported by community ownership, routine maintenance and strong local systems.
Hon. Pius Sampson Opoku urged beneficiary communities, School Management Committees, Parent-Teacher Associations, Water and Sanitation Management Teams, and health facility managers to take ownership of the facilities, maintain them properly and protect them from abuse to ensure their long-term sustainability.
As Tano North works towards universal WASH access by 2030, these facilities demonstrate how visionary leadership, strong partnerships and active community participation can translate plans into meaningful improvements in people's lives. These investments are helping turn Tano North's vision of universal WASH access into a practical reality, one community, one school and one healthcare facility at a time.