§ David TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assistance her Department has given to expanding access to clean and affordable water for the people of Ghana; and if she will make a statement. [77698]
§ Clare ShortThe Government of Ghana decided some years ago to invite tenders from the private sector to improve the delivery of publicly owned water services in Accra. This policy was agreed by the previous government and supported by the government elected in December 2000.
Ghana has faced a barrage of misleading campaigning suggesting that this is a privatisation—which it is not and that the poor will suffer. In fact the urban poor currently receive no water services and pay very high prices for water they purchase by the bucket.
My Department has provided £10 million to support this reform which was put in place by Ghana's democratic elected government and will improve water services for the poor.