Resource Capacity of MMDAs for Sustainable WASH Services Delivery in Ghana
The study was to assess the resource capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to deliver effective and efficient WASH services in Ghana with specific reference to the Fanteakwa North District. Specifically, the study aimed to 1) evaluate access to WASH services in the district, 2) assess the district’s prioritization and investments in WASH services, 3) examine resource mobilization strategies of the district, 4) assess human resource capacity for WASH services delivery, and 5) make recommendations for improved resource mobilization for WASH services delivery.
World Vision Ghana will lead the discussion through Prof. Simon Mariwah and team from the University of Cape Coast, with the objective of presenting the study findings, discuss key highlights and jointly reflect on current efforts to strengthen resource capacity at the MMDA level.
World Vision Ghana will also make a presentation on the Baobab District WASH Awards under the Enhancing WASH Activity in collaboration with Global Communities and other partners.
Session Brief
Background
Inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) were major causes of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries worldwide. Studies and reports had proven that sanitation and hygiene-related diseases were among the top 10 morbidities globally and among the top ten causes of mortality in developing countries, with Africa being one of the most affected continents (Wolf et al., 2022; World Health Organization, 2018; United Nations, 2015).
On the other hand, it had been reported that better hygiene through handwashing reduced disease (diarrhea) incidences by 30%, while improved sanitation and quality drinking water reduced diarrhea by 25% and 62% to 75%, respectively (Wolf et al., 2022; Wolf et al., 2018). It was against this backdrop that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal 6 aimed to achieve universal access to basic sanitation and hygiene by 2030 (UN, 2015). Despite the benefits of improved sanitation and hygiene practices, it was estimated that 616 million people used unimproved facilities, while 494 million had no toilets and practiced open defecation (UNICEF/WHO, 2021).
In Africa, the proportion of people practicing open defecation reduced marginally from 19% in 2015 to 16% in 2020, with regional variations ranging from the lowest of 1% in North Africa to as high as 24% in West Africa (WHO/UNICEF, 2021). Meanwhile, it had been established that about 1.8 billion people drank from contaminated water sources, with open defecation and poor excreta disposal among the major sources of contamination (WHO/UNICEF, 2020). The situation was not different in Ghana, where 17.7% of households, accounting for 1,477,747 households, still practiced open defecation, with a relatively higher proportion (31.3%) in rural areas (Ghana Statistical Service, 2022).
In addition, 52% lacked functional facilities, of which 28% had no facilities at all (Ghana Statistical Service, 2018). Although access to water had improved drastically, 8% of households still used unimproved water sources (Ghana Statistical Service, 2022). Meanwhile, Ghana provided a useful case study of the potential of decentralization in the delivery of a broad array of municipal services, including sanitation and waste management. Decentralization was relatively well established in Ghana, and the principle of popular participation was clearly stated in constitutional and other legal provisions of the country. Moreover, resource capacity for sanitation and waste management at the local level had been well recognized and documented in all policy documents on decentralization, including the Local Governance Act (Act 936) and the National Environmental Sanitation Policy (2010). Yet the country was seriously grappling with environmental sanitation challenges. While most studies attributed poor water, sanitation, and hygiene practices to poverty, resulting in lack of access to improved sanitation facilities (Osumanu et al., 2019; Cavil et al., 2016), others cited poor attitudes of residents (Water Aid, 2008).
Purpose of Study
A very limited studies have assessed the resource capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country to deliver effective and efficient WASH services. Therefore, this study sought to assess the resource capacity of the Fanteakwa District for the delivery of WASH services. Specifically, the study aimed to 1) evaluate access to WASH services in the district, 2) assess the district’s prioritization and investments in WASH services, 3) examine resource mobilization strategies of the district, 4) assess human resource capacity for WASH services, and 5) make recommendations for improved resource mobilization for WASH services delivery.
Study Methods
The study employed an exploratory research design and adopted a qualitative approach, allowing participants ample space and time to narrate their perceptions and experiences in their own words (Hindly et al., 2006). The study targeted representatives of the Fanteakwa North and South District Assemblies who attended the Sustainability Forum organized by World Vision Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to select respondents with adequate knowledge and information on resource capacity for WASH services delivery in the district. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data for the study. With expressed permission and at the convenience of the respondents, the interview sessions were audio-recorded and later transcribed.
The transcripts were analyzed using NVIVO software, and the results were presented based on the emerging themes. Participation was voluntary, and respondents were given the option to withdraw at any time. For anonymity, all responses were anonymized before analysis, and particular care was taken not to reveal identifiable details of the respondents or their organizations. To ensure confidentiality, the recordings were later encrypted to prevent third-party access to the data.
Objectives of the session
- Present the resource capacity for WASH services delivery in the Fanteakwa North District
- Discuss lessons for the WASH sector and other MMDAs in Ghana.
- Present and discuss efforts to strengthen resource capacity at the MMDA level through the Baobab District WASH Awards which is an initiative of the enhancing WASH project of World Vision Ghana in collaboration with Global Communities and partners.