Western Region

Administratively, the Western and Western North Regions comprises of 23 districts; 1 Metropolis, 10 Municipalities and 12 districts. For Western North 3 Municipalities and 6 Districts and for Western, we have One Metro, 7 Municipalities and 6 Districts.
The Administrative capitals are: Sekondi-Takoradi for Western Region and Sefwi Wiawso for Western North Region

The Western Region covers an area of approximately 2,391km2 that is about 10% of Ghana’s total land area. It has a total population of 2,376,031 people and an average growth rate of 2.0%. (National is 2.5%). The rural population of the region is however estimated at 1,368,052 (Census 2010). It is the longest region longitudinally and shares common boundaries with three Regions; Central Region to the East, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions to the North. The western part shares common boundaries with the Ivory Coast and to the extreme south with the Gulf of Guinea.

The Region is endowed with rich natural resources and contributes immensely to the national economy. About 75% of the region falls within the high forest zone of Ghana, representing 44% of the total closed forest area in the country and has 40% of the total forest reserves nationwide. The major industrial activities in the region are agriculture (58.1%), mining and quarrying (2.4%), manufacturing (10.2%), wholesale and retail trade (10.3%). The migration pattern is basically internal of which the region attracts many migrants mainly to the cocoa growing and mining areas. Though endowed with rich natural resources and fertile land most of the people living in the rural communities are poor.

Difficult geological conditions of the region mainly in Ahanta West, Mpohor, Wassa East, stretching northwards to Sefwi area accounts for slow pace of ground water exploration in the region. There are saline water intrusions in communities along the costal belt of the region. Mining activities are major causes of water pollution and it is believed that arsenic contamination of water bodies exist in some parts of the region.

The Region is heterogeneous in nature with the main ethnic groups as the Ahanta and the Nzema occupying the coastal belt, the Wassa, in the middle section, the Sefwi in the Northern section and the Aowin/Suaman in the North Eastern section of the Region. Besides the indigenous ethnic groups are other dominant groups such as the Bonos, Ewes and Krobos who have migrated to the Region for economic reasons especially in the cocoa growing areas in the North, the mining areas and the fishing communities in the coastal belts.

In line with the Government of Ghana’s decentralization policy the National Community Water and Sanitation Programme (NCWSP) was launched in the region in 1995. Since the inception of the Programme, Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) has facilitated the provision of potable water, improved sanitation and hygiene promotion in rural communities in 13 districts of the region.

Regional Development Partners
Regional Stakeholders
Achievements
Hygiene And Sanitation Promotion
Capacity Building and Sustainability of the Programme
Map of Western/Western North Regions

Regional Development Partners

Mainly, the International Development Agency (IDA) of the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Japan Development Cooperation (JICA), German Development Association (KfW), have been working with the CWSA Regional office over the years before the split of the region.

Regional Stakeholders

 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC WR/WNR)
 District Assemblies (DA)
 Ghana Health Service (GHS)
 Ghana Education Service (GES)
 Department of Community Development
 Min. of Women and Children Affairs
 Environmental Protection Agency
 UNHCR
 SNV
 Ricerca-e-Cooperazione
 Water Aid
 Beneficiary Communities
 Global Communities
 GWCL
 World Vision International

Achievements

CWSP 1/IDA PROJECT-1995-2000

The IDA project under CWSP I implemented in three Districts (Wassa West, Wassa Amenfi, and Mpohor Wassa) and 6 Small Towns (Benso, Awudua, Afransie, Oppong Valley, Atobiase and Manso). A total of 20,871 people benefitted from this Project in the six small towns.

EU (25) SMALL TOWNS WATER PROJECT-1997-2002/5

The EU 25 Small Towns was implemented in 8 communities in 6 Districts. Agona Nkwanta, in Ahanta West, Asankragwa in Wassa Amenfi West, Bibiani and Bekwai in Bibiani Bekwai, Juabeso in Juabeso, Half Asini in Jomoro, and Sefwi Boako, and Sefwi Bekwai in Sefwi Wiawso districts. A total of 90,866 people in the eight communities benefitted from the project.

THE IDA SMALL TOWNS WATER AND SANITATION PROJECT (STWSSP) 2005 – 2010

The STWSSP was implemented in eight districts (Bia, Bibiani-Bekwai, Jomoro, Juabeso, Ellembelle, Sefwi Wiawso, Wassa Amenfi East and Wassa Amenfi West). Ten communities (Adjoafua, Aiyinase, Asasetre/Nvuma/Nvelesolo, Beyin, Chirano, Akontombra, Dompim, Bawdie, Manso Amenfi, and Asankra Bremang) and a total of 54,138 people benefitted in these communities.

EU SMALL TOWNS AND SANITATION PROJECT (STWaSaP)-2003-2010

The EU STWaSaP was implemented in 10 Districts (Aowin Suaman, Juabeso, Bibiani-Anhwiaso, Sefwi Wiawso, Bia, Mpohor Wassa East, Ahanta West, Ellembelle, Jomoro and Wassa Amenfi East). Twenty communities (Jema, Enchi, Dadieso, Bodi, Afere, Bonsu Nkwanta, Awaso, Sefwi Boako, Essam-Debiso, Yawmatwa, Adum Banso, Abura-Japekrom, Dixcove, Kikam, Teleku-Bokazo/Nkroful, Awiezo-Baseke Edwakpole, Nuba, Bonyerere-Erzinlibo, Tikobo No. 1-Allowule, Wassa Akropong) and a total of 151, 690 people benefitted from the project.

GWCL TRANSFERRED/REHABILITATED WATER SYSTEMS-2005

One of the projects inherited was the GWCL systems transferred under the NCWSP to community management in 2001. A total of six systems were rehabilitated in five communities (Mpohor, Old Yakase, Dompim, Anhwiaso, and Asawinso) in Mpohor Wassa East, Aowin Suaman, Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Bibiani, and Sefwi-Wiawso Districts respectively.

SUSTAINABLE RURAL WATER & SANITATION PROJECT-2014-2020

The SRWSP was implemented in 17 districts. It provided 16 small towns, 245 point sources, 83 Institutional latrines and 5173 household latrines. The beneficiary districts were: Aowin, Bia East, Bia West, Bodi, Juabeso, Sefwi Akontombra, Sefwi Wiawso and Suaman, in the Western North Region, then Ellembelle, Mpohor, Prestea Huni-Valley, Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Shama, Wassa Amenfi Central, Wassa Amenfi East, Wassa Amenfi West and Wassa East in the Western Region

Hygiene And Sanitation Promotion

The priority action of the region under the promotion campaign is hand washing with soap and water at critical times (ie before eating and after toilet), personal care and latrine promotion (ie construction, use and care).The programme involves institutions where improved sanitation and safe hygiene practices mainstreamed into the schools curriculum through training of teachers and orientations for other stakeholders. Another key strategy is the use of Information, Education and Communication (IE&C) for disseminating information to the target groups through meetings, mass media and other events. In addition to institutions are other target groups including households, mothers, caregivers and schoolchildren.
Under the sanitation component guidelines and roles of stakeholders for the implementation of household latrines programme have been established. The promotion of the household latrine through adoption of theatre for development strategy and construction of demonstrational household latrine yielded results. Over a 1000 households, adopted safe latrines and 31 institutions benefited from the latrine programme.

The following interventions have been undertaken in the hygiene and sanitation front. A total of 1,754 household latrines and 118 institutional latrines were constructed under the IDA (CWSP 1 and II), WHO/PHAST Project and EU STWaSaP. Also under the SRWSP and AF-SRWSP funded by the IDA, 108 Digni-loo School teacher latrines, 85 Institutional latrines have been constructed. Promotion of over 4000 household latrine construction has been carried out and 71 communities declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). The World Vision International has also provided 600 household latrines in the Ahanta West District. Other NGOs like the Ricerca-e-Cooperazione, Rotary/USAID and the District Assemblies have contributed to the construction of sanitation facilities in the Region.

Capacity Building and Sustainability of the Programme

All the mainstream projects implemented under the Programme had capacity building components. Training of the DA staff, provision of office equipment, and motor bikes to the beneficiary districts, training of the community institutions, Latrine Artisans and Area Mechanics were provided. Ten districts have benefitted from the training of 22 Area Mechanics and 140 latrine Artisans. 17 Districts have well constituted DWD/DWSTs and 14 have been provided with the basic training to sustain the Programme in their respective districts. Seventeen Districts have been trained and supported to develop their DWSPs which are being implemented. The Region had 51 WSDBs, 920 WATSANs and 624 pump caretakers effectively trained and managing their water systems. The performance of the institutions at the District and community levels has however not been very impressive due to inadequate support from the District Assemblies and in most cases, the requisite technical capacity of the communities to manage large complex systems and recruit the caliber of staff who will effectively deliver.

Map of Western/Western North Regions