Consider reduction in water tariffs
As negotiations for the reduction in water tariffs continue, WaterAid Ghana, the Coalition of NGOs on Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) and the Ghana Water and Sanitation Journalists Network (GWJN) are jointly appealing to the government to consider reducing tariffs on water considerably to avoid its undesirable implications for health and the general well-being of all, especially the marginalised low-income people.
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Currently, Ghana is one of the countries that have exceeded the Millennium Development Goal MDG on water with over 87 per cent coverage. But with more than 3,000,000 people still lacking access to safe water, there is a lot more to be done. The Government of Ghana has taken the initiative to change this situation with its bold plan to realise universal access to water by 2025. This can be done. However, it will take the government prioritising the allocation of resources to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sectors and ensuring that they are disbursed in a timely and predictable manner, adequate to the task and in the appropriate amount.
On the other hand, the proposed increases in tariffs are likely to have negative implications. Such increases may:
Discourage the practice of good hygienic behaviour such as hand washing at critical times if people cannot afford to buy water
Negatively affect the healthcare system as many healthcare facilities do not have adequate access to water; many hospitals already do not have adequate WASH access
Compel people to compromise their health by resorting to the use of unsafe water
Enable water vendors e.g. water tanker services to exploit the situation to the disadvantage of low income individuals and communities
Especially in the context of other tariff increases in electricity and fuel, we, WaterAid Ghana, CONIWAS and GWJN, consider the intended increases in water tariffs as inimical to the government of Ghana’s own stated objectives. An increase in electricity tariff will also increase the operation cost of small-town water systems in many rural and small towns because poor and marginalised people find it difficult to buy water.
WaterAid and its partners propose that Ghana Water Company (GWCL) should pay more attention to addressing the challenges that diminish its revenue such as broken/ leaking pipelines and water theft which cost the GWCL about 12 million cedis monthly.
We appreciate the need to raise more revenue to support and sustain the provision of water. However, we are of the view that a more efficient GWCL can support government’s goal of universal access by 2025 and ensure all have adequate water for their domestic and economic use.
For more information Contact:
Communication and Campaign Officer, Kafui Nyaku on [email protected] or 0209989518 or the Head of Policy and Partnerships, Ibrahim Musah on 0209985818 on facebook WaterAid-Ghana or Instagram WaterAid Ghana.