Institutional Arrangements, Actors and Outcomes In Community- Based Management Model of Drinking Water Supply Systems in Rural Ghana: A Case Study of Nadowli-Kaleo District

Abstract

Despite efforts to deliver community-based water systems to increase access to potable water, there remain challenges in the institutional management systems of interventions to sustain such initiatives in the Nadowli-Kaleo District (NKD). The study employed a mixed method approach (i.e., quantitative, and qualitative) field surveys, semi-structured questionnaire, and structured questionnaire for a sample size of 345 household heads/spouses selected from 28 communities, as well as interviews, desktop review, and focal group discussion in data gathering to examine outcomes in the implementation of CBM water supply system in the Nadowli-Kaleo District Assembly area. The results showed that respondents from Damba, Takyiripei, Banouri and Koboguyiri, Jang, Vogooni, and Goli Dawaayiri found monetary contribution towards major operations/maintenance and minor maintenance/repairs of their boreholes as the key challenging issues. On the other hand, those from Yiziri, Niiri, and Kpazie Muglu indicated inadequate in- service training in post-construction support services delivery of potable water as their major challenge. These factors jointly accounted for 58.7 percent variances in respondents’ views about factors militating against the realization of outcomes of the CBM Model of services for rural water supply sustainability. Correlations between predictive militating factors showed that monetary contribution towards major operations and or maintenance of boreholes were significant at p <0.006), sensitization and minor maintenance of boreholes at P < 0.005, minor maintenance of boreholes and sacrifice for lower deities at P < 0.0009, influence post construction services setbacks. The study recommends that rural water sector institutions and actors should strengthen community capacity to handle operational and maintenance costs of boreholes to sustain the demand-driven approach in rural communities. It also recommends that a framework of donor coordination in the rural water sector aimed at improving the water use behavior of users and local borehole repairers’, as well as transparency and accountability by water committee members in the disbursement of funds be strengthened to sustain the CBM model in the rural water supply sector.