Ghana has the potential to lead in the delivery of scalable and sustainable water services through decentralised systems, Mr Charles Nimako, Country Director of Safe Water Network, has said.
He noted that beyond expanding access to safe water, Ghana could demonstrate how decentralised water services could be effectively scaled in a sustainable and investment-friendly manner.
Mr Nimako made the remarks at the 2026 Global Beyond the Pipe Forum in Accra, which brought together stakeholders from government, private sector and development partners to advance access to safe water.
He said Safe Water Network had promoted enterprise-led models capable of delivering reliable water services at scale, with its water stations currently serving more than 650,000 people nationwide.
Mr Nimako explained that the sector is evolving from innovation-driven approaches to practical implementation, with increasing focus on preparing water enterprises for investment and large-scale operations.
He stressed that scaling water services required coordinated systems, data-driven decision-making and strong collaboration among public, private and community stakeholders.
Mr Nimako said creating an enabling and predictable environment for service providers would be key to attracting the investment needed to expand access to safe water.
Mr Chris Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Safe Water Network, also called for greater innovation and sustainable financing models to strengthen water service delivery.
He said declining global development assistance made it necessary to move towards revenue-driven models supported by efficient operations and maintenance systems.
Mr Williams urged government to accelerate the implementation of policies through pilot initiatives that bring together public and private sector players to scale solutions.
