Community participation in water delivery services and sustainability in the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

The problem of good sources of water has persisted in the Northern part of Ghana for a long time. In most communities, depending on the population, a number of people comprising males and females are chosen by some influential members of the community to form the water and sanitation committee (WATSAN) to participate in all activities pertaining to water sources and sanitation. This study tended to focus on the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality where access to potable water ranks first on their list. The study population involved all residents who were members of water and sanitation committees in the five communities, namely Moglaa, Tarikpa, Savelugu, Nanton and Tampion in Savelugu/Nanton Municipality where The Network conducted the pilot research on water delivery service. The study population also included the partner organisations which are the District Water and Sanitation team, other service providers and Wuni Zaligu Development Association (WUZDA). The study found out that should programme planners involve community members from the planning to utilisation level; this would lead to the empowerment of the community members so as to enable them to take total control, ownership, maintenance and sustainability of the water facilities and eliminate barriers to real and effective participation in water delivery services in Savelugu-Nanton Municipality. The use of the community scorecard showed promise of engendering community participation in water delivery services in the Savelugu-Nanton Municipality hence the need to introduce it to other communities in the districts and other parts of the country.

Keywords: Water and sanitation, project development, project implementation, sustainability, ownership, community participation.