The model replaces the traditional volunteer-based management of community water systems with a professional approach that employs trained and paid local operators, supported by continuous technical assistance to ensure reliability, accountability and sustainability of rural water services.

The impact of the model was highlighted during a regional learning session organised in Tamale by Saha Global in collaboration with the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council and the Resource Centre Network (RCN).

The event brought together government officials, development partners, civil society organisations and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practitioners to discuss strategies for sustaining rural water service delivery. It also provided a platform for Saha Global to present its operational and programme progress for the first quarter of 2026 in the Savannah Region.

Discussions focused on lessons learnt from implementing the professionalised model and strategies for scaling up the approach in hard-to-serve communities, where climate change, dispersed settlements and inadequate infrastructure continue to limit access to safe drinking water.

Mr Theo Boateng, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Saha Global, said the model had improved operational efficiency, strengthened accountability and ensured year-round access to safe drinking water in rural communities.

He acknowledged that revenue generated from water sales in small and dispersed last-mile communities was insufficient to cover the full cost of service delivery, creating a financing gap that required urgent attention.

Mr Boateng said the solution was not a return to unpaid volunteer management systems but rather the development of innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms to support rural water services.

He noted that access to safe drinking water was essential to public health and deserved policy attention and financial commitment comparable to investments in the healthcare sector.

Mr Blessing Gbandan, Stakeholder and Government Relations Manager at Saha Global, said the organisation was also enhancing community resilience to climate change through its dugout rehabilitation programme.

He explained that the initiative restored critical surface water sources by increasing storage capacity, reinforcing embankments and improving catchment systems to retain water throughout the dry season.

The rehabilitated dugouts were integrated into Saha Global’s Simple Surface Water Treatment System, enabling communities without accessible groundwater to enjoy reliable year-round access to safe drinking water while reducing dependence on unsafe water sources.

Mr Gbandan said rehabilitation works at Kanjiyili in the North East Gonja District had been completed and the first successful water storage achieved in March.

He added that work had also resumed at Yakura in the Central Gonja District following the resolution of a land boundary dispute.

Mr Salisu Be-Awuribe, Savannah Regional Minister, who chaired the session, commended Saha Global for complementing Government efforts to improve access to potable water in underserved communities.

He said the organisation’s interventions were improving livelihoods, strengthening climate resilience and contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the region.

Mr Emmanuel Mensah, Research Scientist at the CSIR-Water Research Institute, described Saha Global as a model for professional rural water service delivery.

He encouraged the organisation to sustain its interventions and deepen collaboration with stakeholders to expand access to safe, reliable and climate-resilient water services across the country.