Source - Africa South of Sahara
Nigeria, Ogoniland: communities demand oil pollution clean-up and compensation
27 Dec 11
Residents of Ogoniland in Rivers State, Nigeria, are demanding compensation from Royal Dutch Shell and clean-up of the oil that has polluted water sources and destroyed their livelihoods.
Ghana: donors urged to help prevent corruption in the water sector
05 Dec 11
The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has appealed to donor agencies to introduce anti-corruption policies and tools in all their water sector activities. This was one of the recommendations of Ghana’s National Water Supply Integrity Study [1] undertaken by GII as …
Africa: Jimmy Carter spearheads final drive to eradicate Guinea worm disease
25 Oct 11
Former US president Jimmy Carter says US$ 100 million is needed to finally eradicate Guinea worm disease. The UK has pledged a third of this amount if other donors are prepared to cough up the rest.
Africa: political stability and country leadership key to water and sanitation progress
03 Oct 11
Political stability has heavily influenced progress in improving access to water supply and sanitation services with low-income stable countries outperforming low-income fragile and resource-rich countries. ”This breaks with the common perception that access to sanitation and water increases with GDP”, …
AfricaSan 3: ministers commit to look first “in our own backyard” for sanitation financing
03 Oct 11
African ministers have committed to do what they can ‘in our own back yard’ by using local finance for sanitation rather than depend on hand-outs. They were following the advice of President Kagame of Rwanda who opened AfricaSan 3, the …
Ghana: only 0.1% of budget committed to sanitation
14 Jul 11
In spite of the Government's pledge to commit 0.5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to sanitation, the 2011 budget made provision for 0.1%, said CONIWAS Executive Secretary Benjamin Arthur. The government was also not fulfilling its promise to commit 200 million dollars every year towards water and sanitation activities beginning in 2011.
Botswana: Bushmen to get access to water after long court battle
14 Jul 11
Kalahari Bushmen are finally getting a new water supply in their ancestral lands after winning a long court battle that attracted international attention and support. A diamond company is collaborating with and NGO to drill new boreholes.
Sudan, Darfur: international conference launches US$ 1 billion appeal for water-for-peace projects
14 Jul 11
Sudan and the United Nations launched a US$1-billion cash appeal to help reverse the rapid decline in Darfur's water supplies, seen as one the key drivers in the region's conflict. UNICEF has submitted three large proposals for WASH projects in West Darfur (US$ 55.5 million), South Darfur (US$ 52.3 million) and North Darfur (US$ 38.2 million).
Kenya, Western Province: Lifestraw's "Carbon for Water" program is "bogus" say critics
13 Jul 11
A project to use carbon credits to finance the free delivery of water filters to 4.5 million people has been sharply criticised by a US expert. Kevin Starr calls Verstergaard Frandsen's Carbon for Water initiative a "loopy funding scheme paired with a lousy public health solution". The company maintains it is providing a sustainable solution by guaranteeing free service and repair for the next 10 years.
Rwanda: country targets 100 per cent sanitation coverage by 2012
10 May 11
The Ministry of Infrastructure’s Permanent Secretary Marie Claire Mukasine announced that there would be 100 per cent sanitation coverage in Rwanda by 2012. The government hopes to realise full coverage through a total sanitation campaign and community-based approaches.
