Tamale Metropolitan Assembly recognizes New Energy's role in increasing access to WASH

Solomon Boar Namliit, Administrative Manager of New Energy receiving the Certificate of recognition from Deputy Northern Regional Minister Moses Mabinga.

Credit: WaterAid

15 February 2010

New Energy, a WaterAid partner, has been voted the best NGO in the Tamale Metropolis. The award is in recognition of their role in collaborating with the Metropolitan Assembly in its development efforts over years. The citation accompanying the award specifically mentions New Energy's role in improving access to portable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene to the residents of the metropolis.

Mr Thomas Sayibu Imoro, the Chief Executive Officer of New Energy, was very excited when speaking about the award: "At long last a government institution has recognised our collaboration with them and is celebrating the impact it has made on their work. [I] hope this will motivate other districts to take their collaborations seriously with New Energy."

New Energy started work in the Tamale metropolis in 2001 following a report of the water and sanitation situation. The report exposed a huge gap in the level of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in some parts of the metropolis. Most NGOs in the area concentrated in rural areas outside Tamale, neglecting the poor in the urban and peri-urban areas. Mr Imoro observed that the high poverty levels in some of those sections of the Tamale metropolis are worse than in some rural areas.

Since changing their focus to serving the poor and marginalised people in Tamale, New Energy have worked closely with the Metropolitan Assembly in developing their Medium Term Development Plan. Thanks to support from WaterAid they have also assisted the Assembly in developing their Local Development Plan for WASH as part of the LMDGI Project.

Over the years New Energy's collaborations have gone beyond WASH into livehood issues, such as sustainable forest management, energy efficiency, energy use in schools and waste management. Mr Sayibu noted how New Energy has grown to operating in West Mamprusi, Gushiegu, Karaga, Tamale Metropolis, Tolon Kumbungu, Central Gonja, Zabzugu Tatale ,Yendi and Nanumba North Districts. In addition to partnering with WaterAid, New Energy is implementing an IWASH Project supported with UNICEF and a school WASH Project funded by SIMAVI.