Water Crisis in Africa - Research Paper Example

Water Crisis in Africa Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are considered to be absolutely critical to eradicate poverty, improve health and nutrition, provide education and gender equality, and to facilitate economic growth in any society (Dearn). Lack of water and other water related problems are the biggest threat to urban Africa. According to United Nations, Africa’s population will be 1.2 million by 2050 which is a 66 percent increase (qtd. in Dzawu).Water shortages are not new to African continent, but now, it has become the enemy of Africa’s economic growth. Ghana’s economy that was worth $35 billion in 2012 and estimated to grow by 8 percent in 2013(more than sub-Saharan African average for sixth year straight) will not continue to grow at the estimated rate without modern water network(Dzawu). In sub-Saharab Africa, cost of water shortages and lack of sanitation is estimated to be 5 percent of its annual GDP (Dearn).This research paper examines Africa’s water and sanitation crisis and major reason behind it and finds that Africa’s water crisis is the precursor of global water crisis, as a result, privatization may seem to be the only solution, but long term management and planning is the key to regulate it. It is interesting to note that Ghana is now politically stable and conducting peaceful elections since 1992. Its economic strengths are associated with gold, cocoa, and oil, yet Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, accepted that Ghana is facing a major energy and water crisis. Some of the major problems with water supply system are aging water pipes, some of which were installed in 1914.Moreover, even those pipes doesn’t reach expanding suburbs of Accra. The supply is not adequate for ever increasing demand. Due to the lack of investment in water sector for 50 years, state only deals with emergency situations. State-owned Ghana Water can’t explain for 55 percent of the water it produces because either water is illegally siphoned from pipes or pipes bursts due to damage by erosion or construction (Dzawu). Water shortages brought nationwide crisis in electricity production. Though the water shortages have always been there, but electricity production needs were met by gas, electricity crisis started when the West African Gas Pipeline collapsed in August 2012 which reduced the natural gas supply to fire thermal power plants. Water Company also needs electricity in order to maintain its treatment operations (Dzawu). According to Ghanaian a researcher, In order to run their operations, other companies often pay private water carriers more than 11 times as compared to what Ghana Water charges. Currently, water crisis is affecting GDP and without an immediate solution, it seems difficult to estimate the future impact (qtd in. Dzawu).Patrick Apoya, a consultant in Water and Sanitation, explains that approximately a quarter of greater Accra’s population (4 million) is deprived of tap water, and the estimate is about 37 percent on national level. Though providers are suppose to supply water through pumps into the home three times a week, but inadequate infrastructure and power shortages are the main culprits that keeps them from delivering (Dzawu). It is a tragic fact that approximately 2,000 children die every day from the water and sanitation related diseases. According to an estimate, women in Global South spend a cumulative 200 million hours for searching and collecting water, they have to walk about 6 km in a day while carrying more than 20 kg. In Sub-Saharan and other parts, women are exposed to higher risk of sexual assault while looking for places to defecate at night (Dearn). In the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), both water and sanitation are aimed to “halve” the proportion of world population living without safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. Despite the fact that 783 million people are still living without access to clean water (UN estimate) it is claimed that water targets were already met in 2010, means five years before the targeted time. Here, the question arises about how these estimates and figures are calculated. On the other hand, sanitation targets are not even considered real in MDGs since UN Deputy Secretary General regarded sanitation shortfall as “scandal”.(qtd. in Dearn). However, recent estimate tells an entirely different story as approximately 40 percent of world population-2.5 billion- is deprived of the access to toilet. It is ironic that more people around the world have mobile phones as compared to the access to toilets. Moreover, Africa is far behind in water and sanitation as compared to the rest of the world. Approximately 327 million people lack safe drinking water and 565 million people are deprived of access to sanitation. Unfortunately, with current rate of progress, it’ll take 15 years more for sub-Saharan Africa to achieve MDG target, and over 150 years to achieve sanitation targets (Dearn). According to Leo Atakpu, national coordinator of NEWSAN and chairman of ANEW, there are several reasons behind African water shortages and lack of sanitation facilities. He argues that lack of governments’ commitment to its citizens and bad governance are the most evident reasons, not only in water and sanitation sectors, but also other areas. He reveals that large sums of money allocated to water sector, in addition to foreign aid is either used on unnecessary projects, or directly stolen due to corruption (qtd. in Dearn).Patrick Bond, senior professor of development studies confirms Atakpu’s charges and states, “from the ongoing looting of Africa’s natural resource wealth, eco-social crisis such as inadequate water and sanitation logically follow”(qtd. in Dearn).Prof. Bond observes that due to the depletion of non-renewable resources, Africa’s wealth is reducing by 6 percent on annual basis, according to World bank report (2011 qtd. in Dearn). Bond despise that its beneficiaries are corporations from West and BRICS bloc that includes: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Therefore, Atakpu suggests that it is absolutely essential to mobilize civil society for this cause who can then hold governments accountable for such corruption in water and sanitation (qtd. in Dearn). Atakpu stress that there is serious lack of political commitment since major stakeholders, such as, governments, civil society, and donors didn’t express adequate commitment on the priority basis. He is shocked to observe that water and sanitation issues always left behind. To his surprise, schools and healthcare centers are still built without toilets. Sanitation is far worse than water supply since commitments to provide sanitation facilities never translated into national policy and budget allocation in most African countries (qtd. in Dearn). Bond argues that popular rhetoric of ‘Africa Rising’ is ludicrous since it endorses more extraction and leads to crony-state confinement. He explains that ‘Acid Mine Drainage’ is a single example of corrupt state in Africa (qtd. in Dearn).It is major water quality issue since after the abandonment; coal mine leaches highly acidic water that enters into the surrounding ecosystem(Shiao and Andrew). Unfortunately, over 6,000 mines are going through abandonment and consequent damage requires £1.7 billion to clean up (WWF qtd. in Shiao and Andrew).Coal production from mining to electricity generation takes huge amounts of water, in addition, pollution generated by mines cause irreplaceable damage to natural water resources (Shiao and Andrew). Bond despises that water resources in platinum belt are used to feed mines rather than supplying to thirsty Africans (qtd. in Dearn). Bond further stresses that lack of governmental control over locally generated wealth leaves no option for most African countries, but to depend on ‘neoliberal’ donor aid (qtd. in Dearn). Prof. Bond further observes that, “from Integrated Water Management to Community-Led Total Sanitation, the message is to price water according to market techniques, commercialize retail supply via Western corporations, decentralize functions to (often bankrupt) municipalities, and adopt technology that limits operating and maintenance subsidies. Progressive civil society in many communities resists this and protest for affordable clean water. But the larger problem is structural: it is predatory capitalism” ( qtd. in Dearn). Dr Akissa Bahri stresses that in addition to political will and prevalent corruption, third and major issue is lack of investment. Even if there is a political will, government allocations alone will not be sufficient. In order to meet the increasing demand and urbanization in Africa, it needs $50 billion per year for two decades. Water and sanitation budget for future is estimated to be $21.9 billion while the current spending is $7.6 billion (qtd. in Dearn). Although some efforts, such as, The African Water Facility’s mobilization for $1.3 billion investment are seen, but it is not adequate enough as compared to the need. As a result, it becomes quite evident that private sector’s involvement is the only option to accelerate development in water and sanitation sector (Bahri qtd. in Dearn). On global level, a World Bank (2009) report predicts that water-supply market will increase to 20 percent and water industry will become two fold in next five years (qtd. in Interlandi and Ryan). There is consensus that global freshwater crisis is slowly emerging. Water resources are diminishing faster than they are replenished by nature. Unfortunately, industrial and household wastes in the form of chemicals are polluting the remaining water reservoir. In addition, global population is also skyrocketing (Interlandi and Ryan). According to Goldman Sachs’ estimate, global water consumption doubles every twenty years, on the other hand, United Nations found that demand of water will exceed supply by over thirty percent in 2040(qtd. in Interlandi and Ryan). The situation is very bleak, and proponents of privatization of water consider it the only option. It may be the only option but, Olson is worried about the future. He believes that it will continue till the last drop of water is privatized. The world will divide on the basis of water reserves. There will be conflicts and wars over water reserves, and we have recently seen its glimpse (Pakistan India water issue)( qtd. in Interlandi and Ryan).Privatization may be the solution to deal with current situation, but in the long term, we have to deal with ever-increasing population, management of water reserves, technologies to clean, policies to keep them pollution free, and innovation and infrastructure to save water in every way possible. Works Cited Dzawu,M. Moses. “A Water Crisis Threatens Ghana’s Economic Growth.”Bloomberg Businessweek: Global Economics. Bloomberg L.P., 11 April.2013.Web.2 December 2014. Dearn,Mark. “Experts Weekly: How Can Africa’s Water and Sanitation Shortfall be Solved.”ThinkAfricaPress. Think Africa Press.24 March.2014.Web. 2 December 2014. Interlandi, Jeneen, and Ryan Tracy. “The New Oil.” Newsweek 156.16 (2010):40-46.Academic Search Premier. Print. Shiao,Tien, and Andrew Maddocks. “Finding Solutions for South Africa’s coal-fired Water and Energy Problem.” theguardian: sustainable business. Guardian News and Media Limited., 26 September.2014.Web. 2 December 2014. Read More