Sanitation policy in Ghana - assessing key elements and policy measures

This paper presents a summary of the process, findings and proposals of an assessment of Ghana’s Environmental Sanitation Policy based on the application of EHP’s Guidelines for the Assessment of National Sanitation Policies. The findings show that while all the key elements usually listed as ingredients of a good policy framework are present in the Environmental Sanitation Policy there has been slow implementation of its strategic objectives. An important outcome of the assessment is that proposals addressing gaps in the policy were made for further review and revision of the policy to provide workinglevel application of results of the assessment. An implication of the assessment concerns how work on existing guidelines on assessing sanitation policies can be taken forward. An important dimension is the need for strengthening initiatives for building capacity of staff of technical institutions responsible for developing and implementing policies.