Addressing Accra's urban water challenges within a sustainable development context

Like most major cities in Africa, Accra is undergoing a rapid pace of urbanization fueled by economic development, population growth and rural to urban migration. The city faces major challenges with the provision of adequate and effective urban water infrastructure. The challenges associated with perennial flooding in Accra are reviewed in the context of recommended policy, institutional and organizational changes that are deemed to provide a more sustainable and holistic approach to urban water service provision. These have the potential of increasing the interactions of multiple stakeholders including the public, system designers, urban planners, entrepreneurs, activists, etc. and fostering an even closer link between professional practice and community participation providing the scope for spurning innovation, capacity building and job creation at a local level.