Ghana National Coalition Against the Privatisation (CAP) of Water

This programme involves the following components:

• A mass civil society campaign that works to facilitate public debate; educate citisens through community, school, and work-place teach-ins; and mobilise local coalition communities, promote petitions, and pass resolutions to stop the transfer of water supply to foreign multinational monopoly control.
• Direct mass involvement in decisions about the alternatives for reforms in the water sector.
• The inclusion of a public sector option in water supply and the overall restructuring of the water sector. Details of such an option would then be publicised and made available for independent verification.
• Full public disclosure of all documents and details of transaction proposals, bids, and negotiations involving all involved parties.

The CAP of Water is in the process of publishing tens of thousands of information sheets and a newsletter, both of which highlight these issues and reinforce these strategies. Currently under discussion by coalition partners is a proposed national demonstration against water privatisation.

Health, Sanitation, Rights.

There are now five multinational corporations bidding to lease the Ghana Water Company. Information about the terms and conditions of the privatisation, such as the proposed tariff structure, expansion plans, and possible subsidies, has not been made available to the public. Citizens cannot assess the relative advantages or disadvantages of the privatisation plan unless this information is in the public domain.

The CAP of Water programme was developed out of a forum in May 2001 that aimed to encourage the government of Ghana to facilitate the decision by the previous government to privatise the delivery of water in the country. The forum, dubbed "Water is for life and every life matters" sought to promote informed public debate on a wide range of water management options. Part one of the event was a public forum inviting all stakeholders (including government officials, donors, other poor water users, and NGOs in the water industry and other social activists) to present their views about water management issues in the context of poverty and public health and to compare these experiences with those from other countries and regions.

Objectives of this portion of the forum included:

• Exploring the linkages between national policies (e.g the privatisation of public utilities), and the policies of bilateral donors, the international financial institutions, and the World Trade Organization;
• Sharing practical strategies for engaging policymakers at the national and international levels through effective communication and focused advocacy; and
• Identifying areas for capacity building and campaign issues and developing organisational structures for follow-up activities.

This portion of the forum included drama, songs, and video documentaries.

A strategising session, which constituted the second part of the programme, provided the opportunity for poor water users, water and sanitation committees, policy analysts, NGOs, public health activists, and other civil society groups to share experiences, learn new tools for analysis and advocacy, and strategise about ways to foster an equitable water policy. Specifically, part two focused on:

• The quality and quantity of water
• Privatisation of water as only a part of the global agenda on privatisation
• The failure of the public sector to provide affordable and quality water
• Enhancement of the delivery of water in a way that is affordable and will improve health
• Sanitation - whose responsibility is it?
• De-linking rural water from urban water
• Making communities aware about privatisation issues in order to promote good health.

Participants collectively agreed that they were ready to begin a campaign to stop the privatisation of water in Ghana and to explore viable alternatives for the water delivery process. A seven-member management committee was formed to coordinate the activities of this coalition.

Perhaps in part because of this programme, the Christian Council of Ghana has taken an official public stand against the privitisation of water in Ghana. Many other mass civil society institutions and organisations, at every level of their organisations and memberships -- from local mosques and churches to national trade unions -- are expected to declare their commitments publicly as well.