Demand Responsive Approach and its Significance Forsustainable Management of Water Facilities in the Shaiosudoku District
Date
2014-07
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
Demand Responsive Approach (DRA), adopted as a policy for rural water delivery in
Ghana, is an attempt within a decentralized programme to improve the efficiency of
service supply and also to make users take key decisions about the service they want
and are willing and able to pay for. This study was conducted in communities where
the DRA had been applied under the National Community Water and Sanitation
Programme (NCWSP) in the Shai-Osudoku District of Ghana. The aim was to
examine the conditions under which DRA leads to improved functionality, the
suitability of the approach for rural communities and the changes in the patterns of
water usage. Data was collected using purposive sampling from two hundred
households in four communities in addition to FGDs and key informant interviews.
Descriptive statistics and probit regression was used to determine the socioeconomic
factors influencing households’ ability to pay for water and factors which affected the
use of water. The study established among other findings that community members
participated in the implementation of the facilities in various aspects: an expression of
demand. Respondents indicated the water facilities were of good quality in terms of
durability, flow and taste; however, financial management is a major setback.
Generally the water needs of the communities are met. It was also realised
households which were closer to the facilities in general used more of the water from
the facilities. The study recommends an institutional coordination and collaboration
among stakeholders, education and training for committee members, equity concerns
should be addressed and external support to be factored in rural water delivery.
Description
Thesis (PhD) -University of Ghana,2014
Keywords
Water Delivery, Demand Respond Approach, Water Usage, Water Facilities