US Congressmen Oppose Water Privatization In Ghana

Thirty-nine US Congressmen are up in arms against the privatization of urban water supply in Ghana. In a letter to US Secretary to the Treasury the Congressmen said, "most Ghanaians earn less than $2 a day and the rising cost of water forces families to make impossible trade offs between purchasing food, clothing, medicine, paying school fees, or buying a bucket of water."

The letter urged the US Treasury Secretary to instruct the Executive Directors of the IMF, and the World Bank to oppose the current Private Sector Participation proposal being promoted for the urban water supply in Ghana. "We also urge you to instruct the US Executive Directors to oppose loan conditions in Ghana mandating increased cost recovery for water. These conditions have already raised the price of water for the poor in Ghana. Ghana should receive loans that do not have onerous conditions."

The Congressmen reminded the Treasury Secretary of a statement he made at the Global Millennium Water initiative symposium that, "water is life. Nothing is as essential or as fundamental to us as water" but said, "unfortunately we believe that the IMF, and World Bank policies in Ghana have in fact been counterproductive to that goal. Clean and affordable water is becoming less accessible for the vast majority of Ghanaians."

Thirty-nine US Congressmen are up in arms against the privatization of urban water supply in Ghana. In a letter to US Secretary to the Treasury the Congressmen said, "most Ghanaians earn less than $2 a day and the rising cost of water forces families to make impossible trade offs between purchasing food, clothing, medicine, paying school fees, or buying a bucket of water."

The letter urged the US Treasury Secretary to instruct the Executive Directors of the IMF, and the World Bank to oppose the current Private Sector Participation proposal being promoted for the urban water supply in Ghana. "We also urge you to instruct the US Executive Directors to oppose loan conditions in Ghana mandating increased cost recovery for water. These conditions have already raised the price of water for the poor in Ghana. Ghana should receive loans that do not have onerous conditions."

The Congressmen reminded the Treasury Secretary of a statement he made at the Global Millennium Water initiative symposium that, "water is life. Nothing is as essential or as fundamental to us as water" but said, "unfortunately we believe that the IMF, and World Bank policies in Ghana have in fact been counterproductive to that goal. Clean and affordable water is becoming less accessible for the vast majority of Ghanaians."