ACCRA – Copenhagen – Denmark has announced its commitment to further support Ghana in building climate resilience through strategic projects in water and waste management. This move strengthens the cooperation between the two nations under the Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) agreement signed in 2019, focusing on improving the water supply and wastewater management in Tema Municipality and enhancing Ghana’s maritime sector.
According to Ghana News Agency, Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, Denmark will mobilize additional resources to tackle critical challenges in wastewater management. This announcement came during his tour of the Tema Municipality on Saturday. The visit aimed to assess firsthand the challenges in Tema, setting the stage for the second phase of the SSC agreement, which prioritizes making the industrial city climate resilient.
Mr. Jørgensen and Mr. Yohane Amarh Ashietey, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, commemorated the successful completion of the first phase of the cooperation (2019-2023) by unveiling a mural at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA). The second phase of the agreement, scheduled for 2024-2026, was signed this October between the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, the city of Aarhus, Denmark, the Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL), and Aarhus Vand A/S, a Danish water management company.
The upcoming phase aims to reduce non-revenue water, enhance local capacity, and implement a climate adaptation plan developed in the first phase. Ghana requires an estimated investment of US$ 9.3 to US$ 15.5 billion for climate interventions from 2020 to 2030, with access to clean water as a key focus.
Mr. Jørgensen expressed concern over the environmental health threat posed by the biological death of the Chemu Lagoon, attributed to inadequate industrial wastewater management. He assured that Denmark would explore additional resources to assist Ghana in addressing these environmental challenges.
‘A lot of progress has been made. A lot of people are getting clean water every day as a result of this project. But it is also clear that there are still a lot of challenges. We from the Danish side will help as much as we can, and we are also looking at possibilities of finding even more resources in future because you can see behind me there is really a lot to do. Water needs to be cleaned and the efficiency of the water needs to be better,’ stated Mr. Jørgensen.
Mr. Ashietey highlighted the benefits of the first phase, noting its role in enhancing the capacity of TMA engineers in wastewater management and developing a Climate Adaptation and Wastewater Management Plan. He emphasized the commitment to following this framework to transform Tema into a climate-resilient city.