WASH News West Africa
News feed maintained by information specialists from IRC and partners.
Benin: cholera kills at least five, with scores infected
08 Feb 10
In Benin cholera has killed five people in the past two weeks in a rare dry-season outbreak.Health officials detected the first cases of the diarrhoeal disease on 13 January 2010 in the town of Bonou – 90km east of the economic capital Cotonou – where 66 cases and four deaths were recorded up to 29 [...]
Nigeria, Lagos: mini-waterworks handed over to communties
05 Feb 10
While commissioning the newly constructed two mini-waterworks at Magodo and Mende area of metropolitan Lagos last week, the state governor, Mr.Babatunde Fashola said eight of such mini-waterworks have been fully completed and on commissioning, they are capable of giving people of the state additional 30 million gallons of water daily.According to the governor, the two [...]
Ghana: World Bank, AfDB initiative supports water sector
05 Feb 10
The World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) has initiated discussions with the managements of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL) on how to find a comprehensive and sustainable solution to problem facing urban water supply in Ghana.Mr. Ishac Diwan, World Bank Country Director said that the World Bank [...]
Nigeria: Dutch court to try Shell for oil spills
04 Jan 10
A Dutch court has said it has jurisdiction over a case of alleged oil spills brought against Royal Dutch Shell’s subsidiary in Nigeria by four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth, a court spokeswoman told ANP-Reuters.“The court has decided that it is competent, so we will be handling the case,” said the spokeswoman.“The facts [...]
Nigeria: stakeholders call for adoption of CLTS
04 Jan 10
There are new calls for the adoption of the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach by all the 36 States and the FCT [Federal Capital Territory] for the promotion of sanitation and attainment of the MDG target for Sanitation in Nigeria.A recent workshop [called for] the establishment of a CLTS Technical Advisory Committee drawn from [...]
Ghana: Water, sanitation and hygiene resource centre opens in Accra
14 Dec 09
An organization that coordinates activities in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sectors on Thursday officially inaugurated their new office in Accra.The Office named “WASH House” is host to eight organizations all working in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector and would serve as a knowledge resource centre.Dr Minta Aboagye, Director of Water at the [...]
Senegal, Tambacounda: 220,000 people to benefit from NGO water and sanitation programme
07 Dec 09
The French non-governmental organisation Eau Vive has launched a long-term water and sanitation programme in Senegal’s rural Tambacounda Region, announced Antoine Eklou, director of the group’s Senegalese branch. Around 220,000 people will benefit. The region’s potable water coverage is poor: only 20-45% of the population has access to service, and the main source of water [...]
Burkina Faso: water institute awards honorary doctorate to President Blaise Compaore
07 Dec 09
On 26 November 2009, President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso was awarded his fifth honorary doctorate in recognition of his efforts for the environment. This time, the degree was bestowed by the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Ouagadougou. Director Paul Ginies pointed out that not only had the president founded the [...]
Senegal: Japan announces US$ 1 million for rural water supply
30 Nov 09
Fukai Yoshio, head of water projects at the Japanese Cooperation Agency (JICA), announced that his government would invest 450 million francs (roughly US$ 1 million) over the next three years in Senegal’s Departments of Tambacounda, Kolda, and Ziguinchor. Besides equipping boreholes with motorized pumps at 35 sites, the program will create a hygiene committee in [...]
Ghana: Ghana Water Company under fire
08 Nov 09
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is under fire from both the allAfrica.com”>government and anti-privatisation activists for poor service delivery and corruption. In the wake of this criticism, Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL), the private operator which supports GWCL since 2006 as part of a World Bank-supported project, has launched an effort to collect unpaid [...]
