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REPUBLIC OF GHANA
------------- MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVRNMENT,
RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
------------
DANGME WEST DISTRICT ASSEMBLY
DANGME WEST DISTRICT WATER
AND SANITATION PLAN
August 2008
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GROUPE D’ETUDE DE RECHERCHE ET D’APPUI AU DÉVELOPPEMENT
Sicap Sacré Cœur III Villa N° 9231 - BP : 16473 Dakar/Fann, Sénégal
Tel: 221-33 869-37-93 / Fax: 221-33 827-94-99 / Email: [email protected] /[email protected] / Web:
www.geradsn.org
Content
I- INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 6
1-1 Preamble ............................................................................................................................................. 6
1-2 Implementing strategy ......................................................................................................................... 7
1-3 Approach ............................................................................................................................................. 8
1-4 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 8
A- ENVIRONMENT DIAGNOSIS ................................................................................................................. 11
A-1 PHYSICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DISTRICT ................................................................................ 11
A-1-1 Geographical situation and size of the District ............................................................................... 11
A-1-2 Climate and vegetation and Sherigu Dorungu-Agobgabis ............................................................. 11
A-1-2 Geology and soils .......................................................................................................................... 13
A-2 DEMOGRAPHY AND HUMAN RESOURCES ...................................................................................... 15
A-2-1 Population size and structure ......................................................................................................... 15
A-2-3 Population distribution by Area Council.......................................................................................... 15
A-2-2 Schooling level of the population ................................................................................................... 18
A-2-2 Ethnic composition ......................................................................................................................... 19
A-2-4 Urban/rural duality .......................................................................................................................... 19
A-2-5 Households activities and expenditures ......................................................................................... 20
A-3 POVERTY APPRAISAL ....................................................................................................................... 21
A-3-1 Level of access to basic social services ......................................................................................... 21
A-4 ROLE OF THE ACTORS CONCERNED .............................................................................................. 25
A-4-1The District Assembly ..................................................................................................................... 25
A-4-2 The District Administration ............................................................................................................. 26
A-5 PROBLEMATICS OF WATER, DRAINING AND HYGIENE ................................................................ 27
A-5-1 Study of the drinking water sector .................................................................................................. 28
A-5-1-1 Access and usage of water .................................................................................................... 28
A-5-1-2 Coverage of the water needs ...................................................................................................... 33
A-5-2 Access to sanitation facilities ......................................................................................................... 34
A-5-2-1 Identification and typology of sanitation facilities .................................................................... 34
A-5-2-2 Analysis of the relation water/hygiene/health ......................................................................... 36
A-6 SYNTHESIS OF THE DIAGNOSIS ELEMENTS .................................................................................. 38
B-STRATEGIC ORIENTATIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ACCESS TO WATER AND SANITATION
..................................................................................................................................................................... 39
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B-1 STRATEGIC ORIENTATIONS .............................................................................................................. 39
B-2 IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIONS ........................................................................................................... 40
B-2-1 Improved access to water .............................................................................................................. 40
B-2-2 Improved access to sanitation infrastructures ................................................................................ 40
B-2-3 Promotion of good governance ...................................................................................................... 41
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 42
Maps
Map 1 : Location of the District ................................................................................................................ 14
Map 2 : Distribution of the District population........................................................................................... 17
Map 3 : Location of the social basic equipments in the District ................................................................ 23
Map 4 : Location of hydraulic facilities ..................................................................................................... 29
Map 5: Safe water coverage .................................................................................................................... 32
Map 6: location of sanitation facilities ...................................................................................................... 35
Map 7: Sanitation coverage of rate .......................................................................................................... 37
Tables
Table 1 : Distribution of the population by age and by gender ................................................................. 15
Table 2 : Typology of Area Councils according to the demographic load ................................................ 16
Table 3 : Schooling of children aged 6 to 15 years .................................................................................. 18
Table 4 : Typology of the social basic equipments: ................................................................................. 22
Table 5 : Access to equipment per Area Council ..................................................................................... 22
Table 6 : Level of access of vulnerable persons ...................................................................................... 24
Table 7: Sources of water supply in the dry season ................................................................................ 28
Table 8 : Level of functionality of hydraulic facilities ................................................................................ 30
Table 9 : Access Condition to Drinking Water .......................................................................................... 33
Table 10 : Coverage rate by Area Council ............................................................................................... 34
Table 11: Summary of issues and solutions ............................................................................................ 41
Figures
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Figure 1: Ethnic distribution of the sample population ............................................................................. 19
Figure 2 : Main occupations of the household heads of the sample ........................................................ 21
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AEPHA Access to Safe Water, Hygiene and Sanitation
CBO Community Based Organisation
CWSA Community Water and Sanitation Agency
DWSO District Water and Sanitation
DWSP District Water and Sanitation Plan
DWST District Water and Sanitation Teams
EPA Environnemental Protection Agency
GWCL Ghana Water Company Limited
HDW Hand Dug Wells
LG Local Government
LGA Local Government Act
LI Legislative Instrument
MoWRWH Ministère des Ressources Hydrauliques et du Logement
OMD Development Millenium Goals
PNDC Provisionnal National Defense Council
PS Piped Systems
PURC Public Utilities Regulatory
RH Rain Harvesting
VIP Ventilated Pit Latrines
WAG WaterAid Ghana
WATSAN Water and Sanitation Committees
WRC Water Resources Commission
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I- INTRODUCTION
1-1 Preamble
Independent since 1957, the republic of Ghana is one of the sub-Saharan countries of Africa that
based its development policy on participative development strategy using the decentralisation
process as governance rule. Inheritance from British colonization influenced the political choices
of its successive rulers and the involvement of all society stakeholders in the management of the
country has always prevailed as a major trend. This is concretely materialized through the
consensual definition of administrative, legal, political and economic frameworks enabling all
stakeholders to express their ideas and fixing the limits of the central government’s scope of
authority, as compared with local governments.
Consistently with the Anglo-Saxon assumption, the State is not the primary holder of all
competences, some of which need to be transferred to its organic and territorial components. The
overall smaller units are combined to build and confer the State with some federative
competences. That is the meaning of the notion of «devolution of power», dear to the Anglo-
Saxons. This approach is completely different from that adopted by most of the other countries in
the region, where the constitution leaves it to ordinary legislators to define the competences of
the local governments. In Ghana, the cardinal values of decentralization are based on principles
such as autonomy, subsidiarity, accountability (to voters) and concomitant transfer of a certain
number of competences (human and material) from the State to local governments.
Theoretically launched in the country since 1985, the decentralization process was effectively
enforced with the adoption of the new 1992 constitution that conferred to local governments
under one of the bills of the 1993 Local Government Act with below prerogatives :
Elaboration and execution of plans, programmes and strategies for effective mobilisation
of necessary resources for District development;
Fixing and levying of fiscal taxes, taxes and other charges.
The development plans that are Districts strategic planning documents pose development issues
and define mainlines for interventions in priority sectors (education, health, road infrastructures,
water-hygiene-sanitation, etc.). Development plans are implemented with the own resources of
local governments and additional resources from the central government but also with the
technical and financial support of some development partners.
As for the water and sanitation sector, some District could prepare their own Water-Hygiene-
Sanitation Sector Plans. Thus, the sector plan is a strategic document to define a political vision
in the concerned sector. It is a decision support instrument for the water, sanitation and hygiene
sector. DWSP is a coordination tool resulting from Participative Diagnosis undertaken with all
concerned parties and/or stakeholders within the District territory. It expresses the consensual
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vision of all stakeholders that validated the results of the Participative Diagnosis and the strategic
orientations defined on the basis of the solutions the District has proposed and is intending to
operationalize. DWSP accelerates the achievement of the related objectives of the poverty
reduction strategic framework, which is the national reference frame for strategic development
orientation and those of the MDGs.
Along with a certain number of partners, WaterAid Ghana supports the implementation of
projects in favour of vulnerable communities in some Districts. WaterAid’s intervention fits into
the policy of the national action undertaken within the global framework of achievement of the
MDGs for local DWSHS, in four West African countries.
For WAG, its option to base its action on this approach is justified by the national engagement in
the DWSHS sector, is one of the major levers ensuring effective and transparent provision of
water and sanitation services, because:
The services will be more sustainable since requiring, in that process the involvement of
local populations;
Intolerable practices such as, late provision of services and other poor service
performance levels will be reduced and controlled;
Local populations closely and regularly collaborate with the communes or local
governments and other service providers, with regard to constant accountability of their
actions;
Responsibilities will be clearly shared among the populations and the commune;
The nationals/populations will contribute to smooth implementation of DWSHS plans and
strategies.
Throughout the country, Development plans of most LG include Water-Hygiene-Sanitation
sector plans. However, for a certain number of objective reasons they do not pose the water and
sanitation issue within the community, in terms of specific concerns (poverty profile,
geographical and financial accessibility to facilities, etc.).
For WAG the DWSP format should be broadly integrated within the framework of its
interventions so much so that to foster advocacy for the mobilization of resources. Thus, for its
action to be more effective, while keeping up with the logic of national action and making its
intervention consistent with national policies WAG tries to support local governments in better
planning water and sanitation sector related actions by adapting the implementing strategic
reference frame (DWSP) to its intervention strategy.
1-2 Implementing strategy
The space unit of WaterAid Ghana’s intervention is the District. That is the decentralised
grassroots organisation under the District Assembly that as a matter of fact is supposed to
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guarantee for the population the requested conditions for sustainable development since being
closer to them. Under that prospect, the major objective of WaterAid Ghana is to improve access
to potable water, to sanitation facilities and promote general hygienic conditions. The
participative approach through the application of the MARP tool has been requested in order to
reach such major objective. Actually, the DWSP was elaborated under the prospect of:
Consistence with both national and sector development policies: actually, the proposed
activities may contribute to further development of decentralization process and implementation
of DWSP, and obviously to poverty reduction by covering the deemed priority needs of local
populations.
Synergy in the proposed actions: synergy could be easily promoted through other poverty
reduction actions. The conducted Participative Diagnosis clearly showed that the underlying
cause of poverty is relevant to lack of access to basic social services. Vulnerable groups and the
poorest are the mostly affected since having poor or even no access to the requested financial
resources to enable them having adequate access to basic social facilities and equipments.
Convergence for more tangible and sustainable performances in poverty reduction: such
convergence and integration effort within the poverty reduction strategy is considered as a
precondition to enhance the achievement of DWSP objectives.
1-3 Approach
Elaborating District DSWP not only requires a strategy but also an approach to be mainly based
on three major principles: local governance and national action where coordination of data
collection is undertaken by decentralized grassroots organizations such as DWSTs, IPs, etc. That
means, giving local population more sense of responsibility, under the prospects of an
enhancement of the emergence of an issued capital among the group of users.
Promote accountability principle through learning, to provide local populations with means for
action. Actually, to enhance the capacities for control and participation in decision making,
namely in the management of local affairs, capacity building is necessary for all concerned
parties (field staffs). The principle of equity through implementation of a participative process
provides the communities with the opportunity to systematically analyze and discuss the local
situation and raises awareness of existing problems and possible solutions, as well.
1-4 Methodology
The major outlines of DWSP making process, as shown in our technical bid clearly state that our
proposed option is participative approach with strong involvement of local communities in
situational analysis and problem enunciation.
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The methodology used for conducting the study underwent the following steps:
1. The coordination meeting
The aim of the meeting was to share views on the methodology and agree upon organizational
and logistic aspects. During that meeting the following issues were discussed:
The planning for the conduct of subsequent DWSP making stages in the ten Districts ;
The process to implement those stages: the number of missions and the content of each
mission as well
The various expected results and its reporting formats;
At the end of the meeting, we elaborated a flowchart displaying the main phase of the subsequent
study stages, namely, statistic data, and cartographic data base and data collection methodologies
in the concerned areas.
2. Data collection
a. Literature search and data processing
As regard the data collection process, we started with the search and processing of available data
on our target area. Several types of documents were processed, namely:
Specific information on water, hygiene and sanitations sectors collected from DSWOs
and some WaterAid’s IPs;
Report and statistic data compendium at WAG;
Complementary information in the Internet.
b. Sampling and proposed collection tool
In the course of preparing our mission, the WAG team provided our team with statistic
information on the ten target teams, namely the communities and its population size.
Nevertheless, this information had a certain limitation since the communities were not tied up to
their respective Areas Councils. Notwithstanding, for the conduct of the household survey we
roposed a sampling to WAG team. Thus, referring to the size of a District we first estimated the
number of household in a District, 16,1471 and proposed survey sample was 1,820 households.
However, the processing of the household survey questionnaire using Sphinx software revealed
that the initially proposed sampling, 1,820 households was reduced and became 256 households.
In addition, and with respect to complying with the objectives of the study, the mission team
prepared some survey tools, namely :
1 According to the WAG the average size of households is nearly 5,876 persons, and the number of households in the
District is calculated on that basis.
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Interview guide on national participation: it aims at assessing the level participation of
nationals in order to analyze governance and democracy at the local level.
Interview guide for identifying grassroots organizations: it should allow assessing the
level of social organization.
Interview guide for focus-groups with main resources persons in the communities: It
provides basic information on the social structure and main development activities.
Household questionnaires: it gives quantitative information on living standards and level
access to basic social equipment and facilities.
On top of these tools the team of WAG proposed a guide for Districts institutional
diagnosis: it was supposed to help understanding the profile of resources persons in Local
Governments.
c. Instructors’ Training
January 30 to 31, 2008 instructors’ training session was rather an exchange and discussion
workshop among the mission team and the participants. Considering their good knowledge of the
target survey area, the participants suggested a reformulation of some questions and use of data
collection methodologies more consistent with their socio-cultural environment.
3. Data processing
a. Data entry
Practical training on the use of Sphinx software (data processing) enable the data entry operators,
entering household, community and grassroots organizations’ data. The aggregated data was
entered using Excel template to construct a digital data base to be used a material for mapping
design.
b. The cartographic analysis
The maps were prepared using ArcView that includes a compatibility link. The various
conducted analysis allowed making thematic maps (population map, equipment map, equipment
coverage map, etc.); this made it possible to provide the users with decision support tool to be
used in planning.
c. Analyzing the raw data
The whole of the quantitative and qualitative information collected at the level of the
communities was used to aliment a data base, enabling Areas Councils and Districts level
regroupings. The primal assumptions considered in making this report were formulated on the
basis of the whole of the information generated in that framework.
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A- ENVIRONMENT DIAGNOSIS
A-1 PHYSICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DISTRICT
The district of West Dangme is located in the southeast of Ghana, in the vicinity of Tema, the
biggest seaport of the country, and of Accra, the capital, which is also the location of the
international airport of the country. The District was cut within the former Dangme area in 1998,
resulting from the decentralization policy of the government. It is the largest District of the region
of Greater Accra, with Dodowa as county seat of the District.
The District is limited in the southwest by the municipality of Tema, which, along with the
metropolis of Accra, constitute the most industrialized and commercialized metropolitan centre
of Ghana. The Atlantic Ocean follows the District in its south part with a beautiful littoral
extending over more than 37 kilometres. The area is a part of central zones of the plains of Accra.
A-1-1 Geographical situation and size of the District
Located in the Southeast part of Ghana, the District of Dangme West is within the 5°45' South
and 6°05' North latitudes and 0°05' East and 0°20' West Longitudes. It covers an area of 1442
km² and constitutes the largest District of the nine (9) which counts the region of Greater Accra.
It thus represents 41.5 % of the total area of the region.
Dangme West is bordered:
- In the North by the District of Tongu ;
- In the Southwest by the District of Tema ;
- In the East by the District of Dangme East;
- And in the West by the District of Akwpim.
The South and Northeast parts of the District are respectively skirted by the Atlantic Ocean and
the Volta. It has to be reminded that the District has a maritime facade which extends over more
than 37 kilometres
A-1-2 Climate and vegetation and Sherigu Dorungu-Agobgabis
The climate
The coastal plain of the Southeast of Ghana, which surrounds the western zone of Dangme West,
is one of the warmest and the driest parts of the country. However, temperatures are subjected to
coincidental minimal along the coast, whereas altitude influences affected by Akwapim extend in
the Northwest.
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Temperatures are high during a long period of the year and the maxima are take place during the
dry season mainly between November - March and the minima during the short dry season (July -
August). Generally, temperatures fall on the coast and near the Akwapim chain. The absolute
maximal temperature is of 40 ° C.
The absence of clouds during quite a long period of the year causes important evaporations which
thus causes dryness in certain parts of the District. The combined effects of high temperatures
and high levels of sunstroke remain an invaluable asset for the development of the manufacture
industry, given that they explain the high and fast speeds of the salinization and the
crystallization that are crucial for the salt gain. They also supply enormous potential for the
development of solar energy.
Rainfalls are generally very weak and they usually occur between September and November. The
average of rains increases from 762.5 ml on the coast to 1220 ml in the North and in the northeast
near the Akwapim hills, and on the summit.
Thus, farming is dependent on climatic factors, which makes very vulnerable the farmers of the
District. Harvest failure remains a very recurring phenomenon, not to say common, even in the
wettest parts of the District, mainly the North. In front of this situation, the salvation of the
farmers of the District would come through the development of irrigation. This should be
accompanied by soil desalinization strategies.
The Vegetation
The predominant vegetation in the area is that of the herbaceous savannah spread with shrubs
and short shaft, a characteristic of the Sahelian type. The vegetation remains dry during a great
part of the year, particularly southward, except for the short rainy season. The devastating effects
of the seasonal brush fires that invade most of the parts of the District, particularly during the dry
season, depreciate the quality of the vegetation.
However, one finds dense vegetation extending from the savannas to the light forest. This type of
forest, characterized by the existence of big trees is also present along the hills of Akwapim chain
particularly around the regions of Dodowa, Ayikuma and Agomeda. One also notes the presence
of a forest reserve and a fauna around Shai hills.
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A-1-2 Geology and soils
Geology
The eruptive rocks are identified in the largest part of the District. The strongly metamorphosed
ancient sediments are located along the western border. One also notes the existence of young
unconsolidated sediments in the South and towards the Southeast. The gneiss Dahomeyin and the
schist cover most of the District plains. Besides, the basic gneiss forms several big inselbergs
(rocky hills of isolation) in the North and in the centre of the District.
The small bedrock outcrops are also frequent in the North, near the inselbergs, but are rare in the
South and towards the Southeast. The eastern belt of the acid gneiss concerns mainly the forming
of granular metamorphosed rock that is a bit richer in ores than the rocks in the western belt.
The recent alluvium occupies the Volta flood-plains and the valleys of main jets on the plain.
There is no mineral deposition known for commercial and economic value in the sector, except
for the depositions of oyster shell in Volivo and its vicinities and clays of different types found in
various places used for pottery and for the manufacture of tile and bricks.
Soils
The predominant soil in the District concerns the black clay soils classified as a series of Akuse
and which occupy the centre and the South of the District. The soils are greatly elastic when they
are wet, but become hard and compact when they are dry and they split vertically from the
surface.
This makes the soil a bit unsuitable for cultivation, which besides is limited to growing
subsistence crop. Black clays are considered as being the most suited to mechanized irrigation. In
the North of the chains of Akwapim, Dodowa, Agomeda and Ayikuma occurs an accumulation
hill slopes washing.
The material for slope washing consists mainly in series of Oyarifa. They are deep, red, well-
drained clayey soils that are suitable for the cultivation of cassava, cocoyam and to a lesser
extent, of corn. Fruit growing, with mangoes, is very appreciated in the area, mainly in the
Dodowa zone.
Map 1 : Location of the District
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A-2 DEMOGRAPHY AND HUMAN RESOURCES
A-2-1 Population size and structure
The results of the 2000 population census estimate the population of the District of Dangme West
at 96,809 persons. For 2007, the population is estimated at 107.532 inhabitants, that is a natural
growth rate of 2.1 % per year. It is necessary to emphasize that the natural growth rate is stable in
the District of Dangme given that it remains the same since 1970. This situation is related to the
stability of the fertility level and to the decrease of the mortality rate throughout the country.
Table 1 : Distribution of the population by age and by gender
Age groups Male Female TOTAL
0-14 years 42% 38% 40%
15-64 years 52% 54% 53%
Over 65 years 6% 8% 7%
TOTAL 48% 52% 100%
Source : 2000 Census
The study of the demographic characteristics also reveals a relative importance of the adult
population: The age group of the 15-64 years globally represents 53 % of the overall total
population. The youth from 0-14 constitute 40 % of the District population while senior citizens,
aged over 65 years, are poorly represented.
Concerning the distribution by gender one notes a predominance of the number of women, 52 %
against 48 % for men. Indeed, for all the age groups studied, women represent the majority
except for the youth aged 0-14 where men prevail with 42 % against 38 % for women.
A-2-3 Population distribution by Area Council
The analysis of the population distribution by Area Council was made on the basis of the results
of surveys carried out in the 62 communities of the District of West Dagme. The results
concerned seven Area Councils.
Referring to the table below, which informs on the distribution of communities by Area Council,
one can suppose that the Area Council of Dawa and Prampram, with eleven (11) communities
each, besides the Dodowa Area Council, District county seat with ten (10) communities,
concentrates the bulk of the District population?
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Table 2 : Typology of Area Councils according to the demographic load
Area Councils Population Categorization
OSUWEM 5,170 Less than 6000
ASUTSIARE 8,322 From 6000 to 9000
AYIKUMAH 9,637 9000 to 10 000
DODOWA 15,195
Over 150000
PRAMPRAM 18,472
NINGO 18,706
DAWA 19,380
TOTAL 94,882
Source : 2008 households survey
The Categorization according to the size of Area Councils of the sample sets forth four classes:
One Area Council of less than 6,000 inhabitants, that is Osuwem;
One Area Council with a population ranging from 6,000 to 9,000 inhabitants;
One Area Council with a population ranging from 10,000 to 9,000 inhabitants;
4 Area Councils that are the most populated ones of the sample, each having a population
superior to 15,000 inhabitants.
Map 2 : Distribution of the District population
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A-2-2 Schooling level of the population
The District of Dangme West counts a schoolable population2
of 679 children. The population
actually schooled among this total number is of 634 persons; which gives a global schooling rate
of 93.4 %. Generally speaking, the schooling rate is fairly more important for boys than for girls
with respective rates of 93.4 % and 89.4 % throughout the District. The same tendency shows in
the Area Councils, because except for that of Dawa which stands out with a girls schooling rate
(100 %) which is distinctly more important than that of the boys (79.1 %), everywhere else in the
other communities of the sample, the schooling rate of boys is fairly more important than that of
girls. However, it has to be indicated that the schooling rate, globally analyzed on the District
scale, is everywhere superior to 79 % both for girls and boys. In the light of this analysis, one can
note that the authorities of the District made considerable efforts to maintain the schooling rate,
both for girls and boys, at an excellent level.
At the same time, the analysis of the regularity rate of schooled children shows a very satisfactory
level on the District scale with an average of 91.0 % of the registered. However, surveys revealed
that the regularity rate, analyzed on the District scale, is more important for girls than for boys.
By making an analysis by case one realizes that the same situation appears at the level of three
Area Councils. The opposite occurred only in two Area Councils of the sample, mainly Ayikuma
and Dawa.
Table 3 : Schooling of children aged 6 to 15 years
Area Councils
Total number of schoolable
children (6-15 years) % children registered at school % pupils regular at school
Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total
ASUTSUARE 81 47 128 93.8% 70.2% 85.2% 73.7% 97% 80.7%
AYIKUMA 31 30 61 83.9% 83.3% 83.6% 100% 100% 100%
DAWA 86 77 163 79.1% 100% 93.3% 100% 84.5% 94.7%
DODOWA 45 50 95 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
NINGO 67 54 121 97% 81.5% 90.1% 63.1% 97.7% 77.1%
OSUWEM 33 36 69 100% 100% 100% 85% 89.2% 87%
PRAMPRAM 21 21 42 100% 90.5% 97.6% 100% 100% 100%
TOTAL 364 315 679 93.4% 89.4% 92.8% 88.8% 95.5% 91.4%
Source : 2008 households survey
2. The schoolable population is constituted of all the 6 to 15 years old children of the survey sample.
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A-2-2 Ethnic composition
Generally speaking one notes an ethnic plurality in the Dangme West District. The majority
ethnic group remains the Dangme constituted of 76.4 % of the sample, followed by the Ewe (13.4
%) and the Ga (3.9). The other ethnic groups are composed of minorities such as the Hausa, the
Fulani and the Akan.
Figure 1: Ethnic distribution of the sample population
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Dangme Ewe GA- ADAN NINGO AKAN FULANI HAUSA
76.4
13.4
3.9 3.10.4 0.4 0.4
Ethnique distribution of the sample population
Source: 2008 household survey
A-2-4 Urban/rural duality
The District of Dangme West has a strong rural tendency. According to the 2000 population and
housing census, the majority of the District population, namely 73,959 persons (76.4 %), live in
the rural areas; against 22,850 persons (23.6 %) who live in the urban areas. However, it is to be
emphasized that the proportion of the population living in the urban regions (on the basis of the
forecasts) increased from 32 % to 35.5 % in 2005. This rate could reach 40 % at the end of
estimated period. This improvement of urbanization will have as a corollary the increase of the
needs of people living in the urban areas, in terms of access to basic social services. Also, still
according to estimations, certain rural places such as New Ningo and Afienya could become
urbanized.
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A-2-5 Households activities and expenditures
For reminder, the District of Dangme West is one of six (6) Districts which compose the region
of Greater Accra. It covers about 41.5 % of the area of the region and constitutes the largest
District. The total area is of 1,442 km² (144,201 ha), of which 129,600 hectares of farmland and a
sea front of about 37km.
Besides, the District is crossed over on 22km by the bottom end of the Volta. At present,
45,600ha of the District area are used for farming, of which about 2,200 hectares under irrigation.
In spite of a relative large variety of activities led within the territory of the District, farming
remains the main activity of the household heads for 68 % of the sample. This situation could be
explained by the rural characteristic of the District.
Species at the level of the District are mainly cereal (rice, corn), cassava, tomatoes, gombo,
pepper, fruits such as watermelon, and sugar cane, banana, pineapple, papaya and exotic
vegetables (for export). Arboriculture is also very developed, with mainly mangoes and some
small size plantations of cashew in the Ningo Area.
However, in spite of the great potentialities of the area, namely important farmlands, suitable
climatic conditions among others (average annual rainfalls of about 762.5mm on the littoral and
1220mm in the northeast) and fertile soils, farming is mainly for subsistence and remains
dependent on climatic conditions.
As for breeding, it is practiced at the level of almost the totality of households, in association
with farming. Besides, for certain populations it constitutes recourse for the diversification of the
household incomes. Nevertheless, the District has great breeders called pastoral farmers who
make of breeding their main activity. At present, the District of Dangme East is renowned to
possess the biggest livestock in the region of Greater Accra.
Regarding fishing, the availability of a littoral on the Atlantic Ocean, extending on over more
than 37 kilometres explains vast potential in this domain. This potential is at present exploited by
some residents. Fishing is one of the main economic activities in the area. Its importance is
evident given the remarkable concentration of pan-size fish industries, particularly smoked fish,
in places such as Prampram, Lekpongunor, Ningo and Ahwiam.
Besides, trade is practiced by certain populations in the local markets and generally concerns the
sale of agricultural by-products. Within the framework of surveys, 09 markets and 417 shops
were listed in the District.
21
Figure 2 : Main occupations of the household heads of the sample
Source: 2008 household survey
The analysis of the expenses typology shows that food is the first expenditure item of the sample
populations. Indeed, it represents 40.1 % of the effective expenses. Expenses relating to
education, to health, and to a lesser extent to clothing also occupy a select place in the various
effective expenses made by the populations with respectively 33.2 %, 21.6 % and 4.2 %. Except
for these expenditures items considered as priority, the other expenses are made in an incidental
way according to a low proportion of the interviewed households.
A-3 POVERTY APPRAISAL
Generally speaking, poverty is associated to a state of physical lack characterized by the
insufficiency of means to satisfy ones minimal needs in nutrition, housing, health and education
(basic social services). It generally concerns the lack of access to basic social services, which is
moreover, determining enough in the evaluation of the population’s poverty level. However, it is
necessary to indicate that in many cases, poverty finds its expression in the exclusion and the
vulnerability of the people concerned.
A-3-1 Level of access to basic social services
The Qualitative information collected through the application of focus-groups, combined with the
results of households surveys and the conversations with the main resource persons of the District
allowed to appreciate the level of equipment.
Identification of the social basic equipments:
The identification of the social equipments at the level of the District of Dangme West, as shows
the table below, reveals a predominance of hydraulic facilities in the District. These represent
22
37.8 % of the existing equipments in the District. They are followed by sanitation facilities and
by the trade equipments with respectively 31.4 % and 20 % of the equipments in the area.
Table 4 : Typology of the social basic equipments:
Typology of equipments Number %
School equipments 155 7.3%
Sanitary equipments 77 3.6%
Trade equipments 427 20%
Functional water sources 806 37.8%
Functional sanitation facilities 669 31.4%
TOTAL 2133 100%
Source : 2008 households survey
Besides, there is a certain imbalance in the spatial distribution of the equipments in the District.
Most of the equipments that are 55 % are concentrated in the Area Council of Prampram; far
behind, follow the Area Councils of Dawa (13 %), Ningo (12 %) and Ayikuma (11 %) with about
the same level of equipment. However, the Area Councils of Dodowa, Osuwen and Asutsuare
stand out due to their low level of equipments.
Table 5 : Access to equipment per Area Council
Access to equipment per
Area Council Number %
Dawa 258 13%
Dodowa 41 2%
Asutsuare 92 5%
Prampram 1119 55%
Osuwem 71 3%
Ningo 238 12%
Ayikuma 222 11%
TOTAL 2041 100%
Source : 2008 households survey
Map 3 : Location of the social basic equipments in the District
24
Analysis of the poverty situation:
As much as the incomes and the occupation of households, the vulnerability of the people can
also be a determining indicator for the appreciation of poverty. Since 1997 the District of
Dangme West adopts several strategies for the improvement of the living conditions of people
called vulnerable, excluded or marginalized.
These strategies turn generally around the introduction of a training plan for the associations of
disabled persons within the poverty reduction program of the UNDP/GOG which includes the
construction of centres for the associations of disabled persons, women, and underprivileged
youth in certain places of the District.
Indeed, women constitute 52 % (Population census of 2000) of the District population and
nevertheless, they only represent about 39 % of the active population of the District. Most of the
women have no regular source of income. In the socio-economic realities of the District, women
are inclined to ensure household chores and the education of children. Thus, their position in the
society, as well as their low income does not allow them to satisfy or to support the economic
needs of the households. All these parameters combined with the fact that the distribution of
resources favours male authority and to the difficulty for women to access land property make
obvious the vulnerability and the poverty of women. This disadvantage of women is felt in the
educational system since recent studies in the District showed that the considerable number of
girls decreases in the course of their schooling.
Besides, children are generally employed in economic activities such as fishing, farming etc.
Certain household heads, for lack of means, use children in some economic activities. Studies
proved that communities located along the coast are more involved in these activities. The
vulnerability and poverty of women in the area affect children and in most cases the latter find
themselves in situations of extreme poverty and are therefore in the obligation to work in order to
support the family. Besides, children are engaged in dangerous activities such as sand extraction,
the production of charcoal and the selection of snails. At the same time, neither youth house nor
juvenile special institutions to control juvenile delinquency were identified. Consequently, young
people remain subjects to several abuses and discriminations of which the most exposed ones are
the orphans.
Table 6 : Level of access of vulnerable persons
Level of access of
vulnerable persons
To water supply
services
To appropriate
draining systems
Number % Number %
No answer 192 75% 164 64%
Yes 23 9% 17 7%
No 41 16% 75 29%
TOTAL 256 100% 256 100%
Source: 2008 household survey
25
In the District of Dangme West, the survey results revealed a very high level of vulnerability of
populations. Indeed, more than 60 % of the sample households assert having within their
household at least one disabled/vulnerable person. This situation of vulnerability affects both
genders. This high number of vulnerable persons has a negative consequence on the level of life
of populations and consequently on the poverty of the latter.
It is proven that the vulnerable persons in a society are more subjected to poverty given that they
are less productive. Consequently, surveys show that it is always difficult for vulnerable persons
to access hydraulic and draining equipments. Likewise, according to 16 interviewed household
heads, people affected by HIV/AIDS are victims of certain discriminations within the society.
To compensate for all these aforementioned difficulties, it is urgent on the one hand to make
available appropriate equipments for vulnerable persons, manly disabled people, in order to allow
them to access the basic equipments and on the other hand to carry out sensitization sessions so
as to put an end to the stigmatization of people affected by AIDS.
A-4 ROLE OF THE ACTORS CONCERNED
A-4-1The District Assembly
The administrative and institutional structure
The institutional structure of Ghana promotes economic planning and decision-making at the
local level, which were defined in the 1988 law of the local government.
These indicate a system of decentralized government in which the areas Assemblies were
constituted and where the authorities of economic planning have a mandate to see to the
organization and the execution of projects in their respective regions.
The Dangme West District Assembly constitutes the highest political and administrative
authority in the District. The Assembly of the District has 52 members, 36 of which are elected at
the level of the electoral sectors of the District whereas the government appoints 16 members.
The Assembly of District is chaired by a member who is elected among the members of the
Assembly.
The executive committee
An Executive committee is chosen among the members of the Assembly. The Executive Head of
the District who is the main representative of the Central Government in the District chairs the
Executive committee. It constitutes the Executive organ of the Assembly. The Executive
committee is in charge of the application of policies and programs of the Assembly. It
coordinates the activities of sub-committees and presents their reports during the deliberations in
the Assembly.
26
The Sub Committees
The Executive committee plays its role through the following Sub Committees of the Assembly:
• The Finance and Administration Sub committee
• The Technique and Infrastructure Sub committee
• The Works Sub committee
• The Social services Sub committee
• The Disaster and management Sub committee
• The Education and Sports Sub committee
• The Land and Farming sub committee
• The Women Development and Child Survival sub committee
• The Environment and Health Sub committee
• The Justice and Security Sub committee
A Chairman is elected by members to head each sub committee, which has about 14 members.
The heads of department have to coordinate the meetings of their sectors Sub-committees to
provide the necessary technical information during deliberations.
A-4-2 The District Administration
The District administration is the structure that is in charge of the application of the District
Assembly decisions. It is steered by a District coordinator director who is the secretary of the
District Assembly and Administrative head.
The Coordinated Unit for the District planning
In order to help the steering committee in its planning, programming and budgeting activities,
there is a Unit known under the name of coordinated unit for the District planning. The Unit also
has the responsibility to collect data on the development activities in the area. It has to favour
research and ensure coordination between the activities of the decentralized departments and the
District administration. The Unit is widened to include heads of departments such as education,
health, farming, physical planning, development of the Community and social welfare,
department of works as well as the finance office.
The Organs of the Sub-district
The City councils of the Region : The Dangme West District has seven Area/Town
Councils.
A Secretary each was appointed for the seven Area/ Town Councils of the Districts with
the aim of helping the members of the Assembly in the collection of incomes and the
mobilization of the Community. The Seven Area /Town Councils are:
o Ayikuma Area Council
o Dodowa Town Council
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o Asutsuare Area Council
o Osuwem Area Council
o Ningo Area Council
o Prampram Area Council
o Dawa Area Council
The Unit committees
The Unit committees constitute the basis of the structure of the District Assembly. As the City
and Regional Councils, these Committees are still not very functional.
A-5 PROBLEMATICS OF WATER, DRAINING AND HYGIENE
The study of the institutional management of water and draining in Ghana reveals that the
Ministry of Hydraulic Resources and Housing (MoWRWH) carries out the various formulations
of sectoral policies, coordinates and steers the activities relating to water, hygiene and draining.
It is supported in this task by the Water Resources Commission (WRC), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the Public Utilities Regulatory (PURC) and the District Assembly.
Thus, the Ministry and the various aforementioned agencies coordinate the implementation of the
water sector, from the production to the supply in rural areas as well as in urban areas.
In a more specific way, the water management in urban areas is ensured by the Ghana Water
Company Limited (GWCL), which confers to water management in urban areas a parapublic
aspect because the GWCL is supported by a private agency (Aqua Vitens rand).
As for rural areas, water management is ensured by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency
(CWSA) which is in charge of the management of the water/draining sector in the rural and urban
areas of small demographic size. For that purpose, it supports the District Assembly which
identifies the District Water and Sanitation Teams (DWST). Apart from this role, the District
Assembly proceeds to the selection of the final beneficiaries, to the setting up of water sources
and approves the pricing of water. This organization gives to water management a quite
decentralized aspect given that the technical and financial aspects are executed with the actual
involvement of the beneficiary communities. For reminder, the latter generally give a 5 %
contribution in the realization cost of works.
The support of development partners in this sector generally concerns the technical aspect and
capacity building for people in charge of the management of the water and draining sectors at the
local level.
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A-5-1 Study of the drinking water sector
The availability of drinking water is essential for any development action, but also for the
improvement of the population’s general hygiene conditions and of the environment. Being
aware of this reality, the District Assembly relies on the main Agency of distribution for the
water and draining services, in order to ensure the supply of drinking water for all areas. Besides,
the World Bank financed the phase II of the community project for water and draining (CWSP-
II) the aim of which is to increase the number of people having access to drinking water.
Except for the modern works, the populations of the District proceed to the sinking of traditional
wells, mainly in the rural areas. Thus, with the support of partners such Rural Aid of
LACROSREP II, etc. many wells are dug in the District. This practice remains important because
it can slow down the recourse to surface waters, given that access to the modern water sources
still remains very limited.
A-5-1-1 Access and usage of water
The analysis of the situation in terms of water supply in the District implies a set of
interdependent factors. It is about identifying the main sources of water supply and appreciating
in terms of distance, time and cost, the accessibility to these various water sources.
a- Sources of water supply
Water supply in the District of Dangme West is made from various water sources. Among these
one can mention the private water-service pipes, the street fountains, drillings and wells, among
others. However, this supply knows various difficulties generally urging the populations to use
non-drinking water sources especially during the rainy season.
Table 7: Sources of water supply in the dry season
Main sources of water
supply
Dry season Rainy season
Number % Number %
BF 85 29% 99 35%
Private water-service pipe 65 22% 53 19%
Drillings 57 19% 48 17%
Hand-pump well 33 11% 27 10%
Other 55 19% 57 20%
Total 253 100% 246 100%
Source: 2008 household survey
As a matter of fact, water supply in the District is ensured by all the types of sources, whatever
the season. The study of the survey results shows an almost equal use of non-drinking water
sources all the year round. This recourse to non-drinking water sources is explained by the
frequent breakdowns of the drinking water sources, drillings and street fountains, their
geographic estrangement, but especially by the lack of means.
Map 4 : Location of hydraulic facilities
30
b- Status of operation of water sources
The analysis of data collected on the field reveals a very satisfactory high rate of functionality of
water sources in the District. At the District scale, this rate is estimated at 77%. Indeed, 834 water
sources were listed in the sample areas, of which 768 functional and 66 non functional, meaning
a global functionality rate of 77%. However, this very satisfactory rate hides disparities even
though in most of the communities one notes functionality rates varying from 80% to 100%.
Nevertheless, in some communities such as Mafikope, Asei, Someh, Dzogbedzi, the situation
remains worrisome on the one hand due to the lack of hydraulic facilities, and on the other hand
due to the non functionality of the existing ones. To mitigate these difficulties that have
consequences on the accessibility, it is urgent to intervene in the water sector mainly through the
rehabilitation of hydraulic facilities and/or their construction.
Table 8 : Level of functionality of hydraulic facilities
Area Councils Functional Non functional Functionality rate
ASUTSUARE 18 1 67%
AYIKUMAH 50 11 58%
DAWA 32 21 59%
NINGO 34 0 100%
OSUWEM 24 2 92%
PRAMPRAM 610 31 84%
TOTAL 768 66 77%
Source: 2008 household survey
c- Access to water sources
The issue of accessibility to water sources of the District will be analyzed through three
parameters. First, the distance covered by the populations to reach the source of supply, then, the
time spent for the collection of water, and finally the quantity of available water per person and
per day.
Regarding the physical accessibility, that is to say the distance that the populations have to go
through to get water supply, surveys show that 37.7 % cover less than 200m to get water supply
in the dry season against 46.9 % in the rainy season. Likewise, 25.4 % and 12 % of the sample
population cover 1 to 2km to have water respectively in the dry season and in the rainy season. In
the light of this analysis, one can say that access to water in terms of distance is more difficult in
the dry season than in the rainy season. This situation is due to the fact that during the rainy
season, surface waters are available and they constitute the sources of supply for certain
populations. Consequently, distances to be covered to get some water decrease considerably.
However the analysis of the accessibility at the level of the sample Area Councils points out great
variations. At the level of the Area Council of Osuwen, physical accessibility is not a major
31
problem given that 70 % of the population cover less than 200m to have water. Likewise, no
household covers more than one 1km to have water. The situation is almost identical at the level
of the Area Council of Prampam. This is related to the importance of water sources in these areas.
On the other hand, the situation is worrisome in Dawa, where more than half of the sample covers
more than 1 km to get water in the rainy season as well as in the dry season. This situation is
inherent to the insufficiency of water sources in the area.
As for the time spent for the collection of water, it remains dependent in many parameters,
mainly the distance from to the water sources, the means of collection and the nature of water
sources. However, the survey results show that 35.1 % in the dry season and 39.2 % in the rainy
season cover less than 15mn to collect water. Likewise, 40.6% and 33.2% of the sample take
more than 30mn to have water respectively in the dry season and in the rainy season.
However, there are some variations according to the area Council. Indeed, the time spent to
collect water is on average more important in Dawa than in Prampram because of the importance
of the hydraulic equipments in the latter.
Accessibility by quantity: The analysis shows that many efforts must be supplied to take the
drinking water access rate to 85 %, according to the commitments of the country authorities. On
the basis of country’s national water standards that recommend 600 persons for a street fountain,
350 persons for a borehole and 150 persons for a well, at present, 66 % of the District population
have water in sufficiency. Therefore, 34 % have no satisfying access to drinking water. In order
to reduce this gap, which becomes an emergency given the population growth (according to the
forecasts, the District will count 118,500 inhabitants in 2010), it is urgent to make investments in
the water sector so as to improve the coverage and the daily consumption in water of the District
populations.
The analysis of the current situation of the water access conditions indicates that the payment
of water is frequent in most of the households of Dangme West. More of 2/3 of the sample
declares to pay the water they use whatever the season. However, several types of payment are
practiced by the populations. The most common one is the payment by container (about 70 % of
the sample), and the monthly fixed contribution (more than 17 % of the sample). The monthly
billing which is the least frequent generally concerns the households having private water-service
pipe.
Map 5: Safe water coverage
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Table 9 : Access Condition to Drinking Water
Access conditions
In the dry season In the rainy season
Total number % Total number %
Payment by container 181 76.1 133 68.2%
Monthly fixed contribution 41 17.2 42 21.5%
Monthly billing ( private water-service pipe) 16 6.7 20 10.3%
TOTAL 238 100 195 100
Source: 2008 household survey
Whatever the payment option, the cost of water is considered expensive by 63.6 % of the sample.
Thus, the major part of the sample household heads wishes a reduction of the cost of water. Half
of the sample remains favourable to a rate included between 2 Ghp to less than 6 Ghp and 29 %
are for a cost included between 6 and 12 Ghp.
A-5-1-2 Coverage of the water needs
The water coverage rate is a relevant indicator for the determination of the satisfaction level
regarding the water needs of the populations. Indeed, it allows to assess the quantity of water
used within the households for domestic needs (cooking, washing, toilets, and drinking), in
comparison with the daily water quantity recommended by the WHO. For this specific case, the
analysis will be centred on the density around water sources, a not least relevant indicator to
assess the populations water coverage, the number of available water sources and the daily
consumption of households.
Regarding the density of water sources, the survey results reveal a density of 104 persons for a
functional water source on the District scale. This very satisfactory result is qualified given that it
can turn out to be twice as high according to the Area Council. As illustration, the concentration
is of 30 persons by water source in Prampram whereas in Dawa it is of more than 600 persons for
a water source.
The analysis of the water needs satisfaction level will also be done in the Area Councils, on the
basis of certain indicators such as the number of functional water sources. Thus, we have the
following classification:
Area Councils where water constraints are very high, that are Ningo, Dawa, Asutsuare:
these are characterized by a low number of hydraulic facilities;
the Area Councils with average water constraints are Osuwen and Ayikuma;
As for the Area Council of Prampram, due to the importance of its modern facilities, it
has relatively low constraints in terms of coverage.
34
Table 10 : Coverage rate by Area Council
Water
coverage rate
Number of
households
interviewed
Number of
Litres
Number of
litres/household
Number of
litres/household
Dawa 58 2000 34 3.4
Dodowa 41 1890 46 4.6
Asutsuare 39 1095 28 2.8
Prampram 34 1010 30 2.9
Osuwem 30 965 32 3.2
Ningo 29 950 33 3.2
Ayikuma 28 1085 39 3.8
TOTAL 259 8995 35 3.5
Source: 2008 household survey
The analysis of the above table relating to the coverage rate by Area Council shows that the
populations' daily consumption is generally weak whichever Area Council is considered. It is
necessary to indicate that the coverage rate was calculated on the basis of the number of collected
containers3 per day and per community, which was compared to the number of households
interviewed in the community. This allowed determining the quantity of water collected by
household. For the sample (about 10 people), the average consumption per person was calculated
referring to the average number of persons by household.
A-5-2 Access to sanitation facilities
A-5-2-1 Identification and typology of sanitation facilities
In the District of Dangme West, sanitation facilities are generally private and public.
The private sanitation facilities: Generally speaking, they concern the infrastructures located
in the households. The diagnosis results allow us to assess the draining level in the District. The
latrines which were listed in the District are of different types with however a predominance of
family latrines which represent 87 % of the private latrines listed in the area. The other types of
latrines, the most corresponding ones to hygiene standards, namely the VIPs, represent only 12 %
of the latrines noticed.
Thus, the analysis reveals a predominance of family latrines. Indeed more than 60 % of the
sample households declare having family latrines within their household. This situation is related,
according to the interviewed population, to the fact that they benefited from the support of
projects for the construction of their latrine. It was a material support according to 39.1 % of the
sample, and technical or financial for respectively 37 % and 23.9 % of the households. For the
last case, financing could have been a partial subsidy as declared 87.5 % of the households or a
total subsidy for 12.5 % of the households. Besides, almost the totality of the sample, namely
93.1 % declare having been inspired by the latrines implemented by projects.
3 The capacity of each container was assessed as follows: basin: 25 liters, drum: 25 liters, drum: 15 liters and jar: 10
liters.
Map 6: location of sanitation facilities
36
The public sanitation facilities: They are generally located in the public places such as
schools, health centres, and markets among others. The diagnosis results reveal a weakness of the
public draining equipments in spite of the importance of the public equipments in the District.
Indeed, on the 659 public equipments listed in the District during the surveys, only 48 public
latrines were identified.
This situation can have consequences on populations' hygiene due to the high frequency of usage.
In front of this situation, it is urgent to take appropriate measures aiming at the construction of
public latrines.
A-5-2-2 Analysis of the relation water/hygiene/health
The hygiene and health conditions depend to a certain extent on the conservation methods as well
as the quality of the water used in the households. Thus, the analysis of the quality of the water,
according to the perception of the consumers, will allow us to determine interconnections
between water, hygiene and health.
General hygiene conditions
The analysis of the diagnosis results reveals that the quality of the water is generally considered
as good by more than half of the sample. However, it is necessary to say that a great part of the
interviewed populations judges that the water used is not drinkable mainly in the dry season. This
judgment is relating to the taste and the appearance of the water (foul water). This situation is
tightly linked to the supply sources and to the means of transportation and water conservation.
Likewise, it is necessary to indicate that certain populations get their water supply from non-
drinking water sources.
Besides, the majority of the District populations are aware of the health risks incurred with the
consumption of non-drinking water. As revealed by the survey results, precautions are taken with
most of the populations so as to avoid water contamination risks during its transport and /or
during its storage. Thus, 58.7 % of households cover their containers during transportation. The
water storage containers are mainly covered (97.7 % of households), to avoid the deposit of
fragments. Besides, the storage containers are cleaned periodically in the totality of the
interviewed households and the majority asserts cleaning their storage container more than twice
a week.
Map 7: Sanitation coverage of rate
38
A-6 SYNTHESIS OF THE DIAGNOSIS ELEMENTS
The District of Dangme West covers an area of 1442 km² and constitutes the largest District of
the nine (9) that counts the region of Greater Accra. It thus represents 41.5% of the total area of
the region.
At the demographic level, the results of the 2000 population census estimate the population of the
District of Dangme West at 96,809 persons. For 2007, the population is estimated at 107.532
inhabitants, that is a natural growth rate of 2.1 % per year.
The study of the demographic characteristics revealed a relative importance of the adult
population: The age group of the 15-64 years globally represents 53 % of the overall total
population. The youth from 0-14 constitute 40 % of the District population while senior citizens,
aged over 65 years, are poorly represented. Concerning the distribution by gender, one notes a
predominance of the number of women, 52 % against 48 % for men.
Regarding the schooling, the diagnosis results revealed a very satisfactory children’s schooling
rate of 93.4 %. Generally speaking, the schooling rate is fairly more important for boys than for
girls with respective rates of 94% and 92.7% throughout the Commune. The same tendency is
reflected in the various places except for Dawa. However, it has to be indicated that the schooling
rate, analyzed globally on the District scale or specifically at the level of the Area Councils, is
everywhere superior to 79 % both for girls and for boys and it even happens that this rate exceeds
100 %.
As for the economic situation, in the District of Dangme West which is rather rural than urban,
farming constitutes the main activity of the populations. However, farming remains mainly for
subsistence and is dependent on the climatic conditions in spite of the great potentials of the area.
However, the District populations are confronted with problems related to poverty, which finds
its expression in the importance of the vulnerable persons and also in the fact that women are
pushed into the background and certain children used in economic activities to diversify the
household sources of income.
On the institutional level, the Ghanaian legislation confers to territorial communities the
necessary power for the development of their respective area. As such, the District Assembly
which is the basic political authority of the District sees to the execution of all the development
activities of Dangme West with the support of some decentralized technical services and
development partners, mainly in the water and draining sector.
The diagnosis results show major constraints that arise within the framework of the access to
water. One notices an insufficiency regarding the coverage of drinking water needs; moreover
most of the people do not succeed in satisfying the standards required by the WHO that is
39
35litres. Likewise, certain populations always get their water supply from non-drinking water
sources. These practices may have harmful consequences on the health of the populations.
Within the framework of the access to draining, one notes an insufficiency of the public and
private sanitation facilities, which causes a real problem of hygiene and health. As a result, there
is a proliferation of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, the bilharziasis, among others.
B-STRATEGIC ORIENTATIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ACCESS TO
WATER AND SANITATION
The DWSP is an orientation document for the conduct of water and sanitation access
improvement related activities in Dangme West District. It also is a reference frame for any
intervention in the District water and sanitation sectors. Taking into account, the constraints
identified by the local populations, some formulations were made to make up the deficits.
Those development actions as proposed by the populations in order to eliminate the constraints
and promote a sustainable access to water and sanitation are translated into three major strategic
orientations:
Promotion of access to drinking water sources;
Improvement of access to public and private sanitation facilities;
Capacity building,
These various orientations are not at all independent one another. Its implementation will enable
achieving the objectives set by the District Assembly, as far as sustainable development is
concerned.
B-1 STRATEGIC ORIENTATIONS
The diagnosis on the water, hygiene and sanitation sector revealed several constraints impeding
the development of Dangme West District. Thus, to improve the situation, as far as access to
potable water and sanitation facilities are concerned, and promote a sustainable development,
local players identified the main actions to be implemented.
Priorities for the development of Dangme West District
The participative diagnosis enabled the populations of Dangme West District bringing out the
most arduous constraints and prioritizing the actions to be conducted in order to improve access
to water and sanitation facilities and promote hygiene as well. Regarding access to water and
sanitation facilities, the formulation of the priorities defines the following local development
axis:
Improvement of access to water,
Improvement of access to sanitation facilities,
Promotion of local governance.
The various action are not independent one another but are in the contrary closely linked, hence a
necessity for it to be include in a global and integrated strategy.
40
Constraints to pursuing development priorities
The Dangme West District faces several constraints. These are namely:
WATER
Shortage of modern watering points in the Area Councils, namely Dawa and Ningo.
Geographic remoteness of modern water sources.
Poor coverage of water demand from populations (3,4 l/capita/D vs WHO recommended
35l)
HYGIENE/SANITATION
Poor rate of prevalence of latrine facilities.
Shortage of family latrines meeting the hygiene requirements.
Shortage of public latrines.
Prevalence of bad hygiene habits and practices.
B-2 IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIONS
B-2-1 Improved access to water
Basis for action
Findings of the assessment brought up the following issues:
Insufficient modern water sources in Area Councils (Dawa & Ningo mainly).
Remoteness of the modern water sources.
Low coverage rates in water (3.4 l/capita /d against 35l as recommended by WHO).
Actions required
Community agreed on the following actions to be undertaken:
Construction of boreholes and hand dug well fitted with pumps.
Extension of the safe water network.
System to remove fluorine contained in the boreholes.
B-2-2 Improved access to sanitation infrastructures
Basis for action
Sanitation (latrines) is a key concern in the District considering the following:
Low latrinisation rate,
Insufficient household latrines with hygiene standards,
Insufficient public latrines,
Presence of bad hygiene practices and behaviour.
Actions required
The salient actions identified include the promotion of household latrines in all communities of
the District. This will be complemented with a range of sensitisation and capacity building
sessions aimed at improving both individual and collective hygiene. Actions include:
Promote the construction of household latrines,
Training sessions on CLTS,
Sensitisation sessions CLTS.
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B-2-3 Promotion of good governance
Basis for action
Good governance requires each player in the District to fulfil adequately its roles and
responsibilities. Indeed, the good governance mechanisms (WATSAN) established at community
levels to manage public facilities are based on their operation and management capacities. But
good governance in DWST, EHA, etc is assessed through service delivered to community in
relation to their skills and responsibilities.
Actions required
Build the capacities of members from the community structures: training sessions will
not only help them in better managing the basic infrastructures of the community but also
in ensuring sustainability and improvement of the water and sanitation service delivery.
Such training will involve WATSAN
Strength capacities of the public structures: this activity which will help in better
decisions on the design and management of the District infrastructures primarily targets
the staff from DWST and Environmental Health with the objective of enabling a better
understanding of the roles and responsibilities of relevant players in the District.
Table 11: Summary of issues and solutions
Areas Issues Solutions Objectives
Water
Insufficient water points in
Area Councils (in Dawa &
Ningo mainly)
Construction of boreholes and simple
hand dug wells but fitted with pumps To improve community
access to quality and
quantity water supply Remoteness of the safe
water sources
Extension of the safe water supply
network
Low coverage rates in
water
System to remove fluorine from
boreholes
Hygiene/sanitation
Insufficient household
latrines
Promote the construction of household
latrines To improve access to
sanitation infrastructures
and promote individual &
collective hygiene
Lack of latrines in
institutions CLTS training
Bad hygiene practices and
behaviour Sensitisation sessions on CLTS
Good Governance
Inadequacy of policies for
building the capacities of
DA staff Training sessions for staff from EHs,
DWST & WATSAN
Build the technical
capacities of local players
and community structures
(DWST & WATSAN) by
empowering them
Inadequacy of the training
programmes for
community structures
Source : Planning workshop, July 2008
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CONCLUSION
Dangme West owns its DWSP with an implementation Plan which includes all actions required
and assesses the local finances to be invested for the local development with the involvement of
all stakeholders.
The methodology used in developing the SDP was a comprehensive institutional diagnosis of all
stakeholders with a focus on their roles, responsibilities, interests, etc in each programme.
Finally, a practical approach has been immediately used to market the plan; this approach has
based on the local communities’ needs as well as the capacities of the strategic partners in the
District.
Each strategic partner will work in line with its role in the project and following an
implementation plan. To this effect, the District needs to own a monitoring and evaluation system
to be used as both a guide and management tool for the following purposes:
- Ensure community participation in all stages of the implementation;
- Jointly identify strengths and weaknesses of actions;
- Keep the relevant stakeholders (supported people, technicians, project/programme staff,
donors) updated on the implementation level;
- Follow the progress of the project implementation using criteria and data base initially
agreed upon by stakeholders (project owners, contractors, monitoring officer, etc)
- If necessary, make adjustments using the lessons learnt.