The Member of Parliament for Salaga South, Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah, has called for urgent national action to improve child welfare and expand access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services across Ghana.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, June 16, to mark the Day of the African Child, the lawmaker stressed the need for stronger policies and investments to protect children’s rights and well-being.
Speaking under the theme, “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa,” Zuwera Ibrahimah paid tribute to the children of Soweto, South Africa, whose 1976 protest for quality education became a defining moment in the fight for children’s rights on the continent.
She said the occasion serves as a reminder of the responsibility governments have to ensure every child has access to essential services and opportunities.
The MP acknowledged Ghana’s achievements in child welfare, including high immunisation coverage, improved school completion rates and stronger child protection laws.
However, she noted that many children continue to face significant challenges, including multidimensional poverty, poor learning outcomes, incomplete birth registration and rising cases of online child abuse.
According to her, inequalities in access to healthcare, education and clean water remain a major concern, particularly for children living in rural and underserved communities.
Zuwera Ibrahimah emphasised that access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services is fundamental to children’s health, education and dignity.
She warned that Ghana remains off track to achieve universal basic sanitation by 2030 and highlighted the social and economic costs associated with poor sanitation and inadequate water services.
The legislator called for a nationwide sanitation drive across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and urged increased investment in affordable and reliable piped water systems.
She also advocated targeted financing measures to reduce household dependence on sachet water and improve access to safe drinking water.
The Salaga South MP identified weak coordination, inadequate funding, poorly resourced local authorities, weak data systems and harmful social norms as some of the barriers to advancing children’s rights.
She urged Parliament and government to prioritise equitable access to quality services, strengthen integrated child-centred systems and promote gender equality.
Additionally, she called for evidence-based policymaking and social behaviour change initiatives to support sustainable improvements in child welfare.
Zuwera Ibrahimah concluded by urging policymakers to honour the memory of the Soweto children through concrete action that improves the lives of children across Ghana.
She stressed that investing in children is essential to the country’s long-term development and prosperity.
“When we invest rightly in our children, we invest in the very future of Ghana,” she stated.
