Community-utility bulk water supply in Savelugu in the northern region of Ghana

The community-utility company partnership of the Savelugu Water System demonstrates the significant role of multi-stakeholder partnerships especially, the involvement of civil society in such partnerships. The absence of civil society involvement in the partnership has largely accounted for the current impasse between the two parties culminating in the unilateral withdrawal of the 30% concession in the tariff charged by AVRL to the WSDB. The genesis of the impasse has been the lack of appreciation by AVRL for the 30% concession in the level of tariffs to the WSDB, non availability of documentation of the MOU and the increasing inability of the WSDB to fully settle bills to AVRL due to the debts owed by public institutions. Civil society as a third party would have helped to bridge the gap between the two parties and would have identified warning signs and called for them to be addressed before they develop into significant differences that can collapse the partnership. Civil society have the potential for standing in gaps in capacity of community on technical issues and therefore, able to facilitate a process that ensures that communities are not disadvantaged. [authors abstract]