Water Vendors, water supply in Ghana, private sector participation, informal water sector
In developing countries, including Ghana, the water sector faces tremendous challenges in attracting investment into the sector. Moreover, attempts to introduce private sector participation have always attracted great resistance. In Ghana the water shortage problem has compounded over the ages due to a mixture of population growth, rapid expansion of the urban cities amidst poor regional planning. Private water suppliers (water vendors) have been brought in by the government as a short term measure for solving the urban water supply problems. These private suppliers charge exorbitant amounts to provide water to households irrespective of their social status. By using a preliminary field survey of the informal water sector in Accra and Tema metropolitan areas in Ghana, this study demonstrate that consumers are already paying very high amounts between GH¢2.00 - GH¢6.50 ($1.35 USD – 4.39 USD) per m3 of water compared to the GH¢0.66 ($0.45 USD) per m3 being charged by the official water company and therefore are able to pay for a reasonable tariff if the official services are improved and expanded to include all.
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