Determinants of Factors Influencing Householders' Access to Improved Water and Sanitation Facilities in Selected Low-Income Urban Areas of Accra

Abstract

The urban population in Ghana keeps increasing with resultant pressures exerted on the resources of the nation and congestion created especially in slums or informal areas. These have caused much pressure on the few facilities especially in the areas of water and sanitation and have contributed to worsening urban poverty. This study analysed the factors influencing householders‟ access to improved water and sanitation facilities in selected low-income urban areas of Accra. The selected five (5) localities were Nima, Accra New Town, La, James Town and Bubuashie and were classified as migrant, mixed and indigenous communities. A systematic sampling method was used to select 1,500 households from 100 enumeration areas with 15 households selected from each enumeration area. In order to address the objectives of the study, each of the dependent variables dealing with improved water and sanitation was reclassified into two categories using dummy variables. As such, 1 was used to represent householders with access to either improved water for drinking, improved water for other purposes or access to improved toilet facilities and 0 (zero) for unimproved sources of these facilities. Chi-square analysis was employed to establish whether there was statistically significant association between access to improved or unimproved water and sanitation facilities and selected socio-economic variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was also used to determine the factors which influenced households' access to improved water and sanitation facilities. The results of the analysis of the survey data revealed that only (4.4%) of the respondents had access to improved drinking water while 34.7% had access to improved access to toilet facilities based on the definitions used in this research study. However, based on broader definitions suggested by WHO, respondents with access to improved drinking water were 40.7% and those with access to improved toilet facilities were 84%. The statistically significant determinant of householders‟ access to improved drinking water was household income (wealth). However for access to water for other uses such as cooking, the statistically significant factors influencing the use of improved water were education, income (wealth) and location of the householder. Compared to migrants, indigenes and people from mixed areas were more likely to have access to improved sources of water for other purposes. The significant factors determining access to improved toilet facilities were education, income (wealth), location and gender. Indigenes and people from mixed background were more likely to have access to improved toilet facilities as compared to the migrants. Males were less likely to have access to improved toilet facilities as compared to females. Some of the policy recommendations suggested based on the findings of the study included the need for government to upgrade the living status in the rural areas in order to minimize the rapid rural to urban drift which tends to cause so much pressure on the few existing facilities in the urban areas. Educational programmes on hygiene and public health as well as creation of more job opportunities are crucial in empowering the population to understand and contribute to the improvement of water and sanitation in the country. Religious leaders should also use their platforms to persuade their followers to change their “negative” behaviours and attitudes concerning environmental sanitation to help advance the development of the country.