The College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) is presenting an Inter-Faculty lecture series at the Law Auditorium of the Faculty of Law. The maiden lecture was delivered by Professor Sam Afrane, Provost (CASS) on the theme “Expanding the Frontiers of Microfinance in the Service of the Poor: Experience with Water and Sanitation”. The background to the topic is that many poor people in small businesses lack access to credit although they have the ability to apply microcredit to income-generating businesses and repay favourably. Professor Afrane sought to explore and assess emerging Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) enterprises in Ghana, and to propose how microcredit could be applied in effective loan provision for these enterprises.
He observed that some communities like Nima and Ngyeresia had access to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) pipelines yet only 15.9% of the households had in-house water connection. The remainder depended largely on private water providers (63%), public standpipes (18%) and boreholes/wells (0.8%). He bemoaned the fact that many indigenes in these communities lived below the poverty line but ended up spending most of their paltry earnings on water. On sanitation, Professor Afrane said only 23.7% of households in these communities had in-house toilet facilities and a whopping 71.4% used public toilets which were usually congested and unhygienic.
Under the Slum Communities Achieving Livable Environments with Urban Partners (SCALE UP), CHF International, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Accra is spearheading microfinance in water and sanitation in Ghana. Their activities include the formation of Small Water Management Boards and focus groups, the provision of credit to water vendors, the construction of mechanized boreholes, the extension of GWCL pipelines and the construction of about 38 household KVIP toilet facilities.
Professor Afrane noted that microfinance interventions and constant awareness programmes resulted in increased access to water, willingness of indigenes to pay more for improved water supply, improved sanitation and the creation of employment avenues by arousing interest of people to venture into water vending enterprises.
According to his studies, water vending had become very expensive to operate since vendors were charged commercial bills. Additionally, there seemed to be no regulatory system for water vendors. He further observed that there was not enough space for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) to construct toilet facilities for some communities and households.
Professor Afrane made a number of recommendations. He wanted credit systems to be made simple, flexible and responsive to the peculiar needs of water and toilet facilities. MFIs should be allowed to do due diligence in the selection of beneficiaries. Where possible, he suggested that boreholes should be provided to increase water supply and reduce dependence on GWCL. It was also his opinion that water vending should be looked at as ‘quasi-commercial entities’ and should not be charged commercial rates since they provided social service. He recommended that those who provided private toilets should have access to technical support. It was his view that projects should be holistic to cater for other vital needs of the community like waste disposal, access to roads, health etc.
He concluded that microfinance interventions could enhance the supply of water and toilet systems in poor communities through local private enterprises but what was critical was the design and management of the intervention.
The second in the series was delivered by Mr. Michael Adusei of the Department of Accounting and Finance of KNUST School of Business. He spoke on the theme: “Revisiting the Financial-Growth Discourse: Does Financial Intermediation Promote Economic Growth?” He postulated that finance undermines economic growth and that excessive financial liberalisation was detrimental to the economic development of the country.
Professor E. Y. Safo who was the Chairman of the occasion congratulated the organizers for the lecture. He said such lectures helped the speakers improve upon their research and delivery. He also hoped the College Inter-Faculty Lecture would be sustained to help educate participants on various pressing issues in the society.
The next in the lecture would be held on 13th November, 2012 at the Law Faculty Auditorium. It would be delivered by Reverend J. E. T. Kuwornu-Adjaottor of the Department of Religious Studies of the Faculty of Social Science. This would be followed by Dr. Mrs. Renee Morhe of the Department of Private Law of the Law Faculty on 22nd November, 2012, also at the Law Faculty Auditorium.
The lectures are organised by the Committee on Research and Related Forum. It is chaired by Reverend Dr. N. I. Samwini. Other members are Dr. Samuel Nortey, Secretary; Mr. George Y. Otu, Member and Miss Hannah Vivian Osei, Member.
