Privatizing Ghana's water sector : interested parties and stakeholders

This article focuses on the need to understand some widespread developments in the water sector in many countries, especially the privatization of water supply, which affect the provision of water and sanitation, the integration of water provision and health education, and the manner in which community management is introduced. In Ghana's small town and rural water sector, the intensive involvement of a large number of donors is encouraging the continued restructuring of the public sector. Focusing on the privatization of public utilities, especially water and electricity, the article discusses the consequences of the redefinition of the role of central government and the move to different types of decentralization, and evaluates models for implementing decentralization and privatization used by various donors. This is followed by a more detailed discussion of the relevance to small urban centres of the two currently dominant strategies for water provision, privatization and NGO-sponsored community management. Concern is expressed about the importance of professional networks and stakeholders' friends when privatization is imminent and the implications for water provision to small cities. It is hoped that the study of privatization in other countries and its effect on small-scale rural and urban water supplies will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of processes within the water sector and their impact on policies and strategies.