Assessing the Affordability of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Ghana Country Case Study | UNICEF, WHO

This report  assesses the affordability of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in Ghana, using a range of methodologies identified for understanding affordability. With the primary purpose of assessing what measurements can be made for global monitoring.

Overall, in 2013, the Ghanaian population spent 3.0% of their income on WASH expenses, with a standard deviation of 4.5%. In rural areas, household spent less (1.7%) than in urban areas (5.5%). Interestingly, the average expenditure as a proportion of income is not higher for lower income households than for richer households. This is partly because lower deciles have a lower service level, and the majority collect their water with low or zero financial cost. Time costs also provide a partial explanation; as more distant or inconvenient sources are chosen because they have a lower monetary cost. It is also explained by the higher costs that richer households are willing to shoulder, purchasing bottled and sachet water instead of lower cost options. 

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