TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ALLOCATION OF POTABLE WATER IN GHANA: EVIDENCE FROM KUMASI (Published)
The provision of potable water for human sustenance both now and in the future is one of the most critical issues in the world today. This paper sought to assess the sustainability of potable water distribution in Ghana through the Contingent Valuation Method in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest urban centre. Willingness-to-pay values were elicited by means of a bidding game technique through administered questionnaire to communities in Kumasi, where potable water supply was either non-existent or very irregular. The analysis shows that Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) could increase current tariffs by about 300% without hurting consumers, since, that would rather increase welfare considerably and facilitate sustainable allocation of potable water. A sizeable consumers’ surplus exists, which is an indication of households being susceptible to extortion by water vendors. This requires urgent government intervention to save some poor residents of Kumasi from undue exploitation as well as the return to the consumption of unwholesome water that would increase pressure on medical and Health Insurance resources.
Keywords: Consumers’ Surplus, Ghana, Potable Water, Welfare, Willingness to pay
Engineering Education as a Tool for Human Welfare Improvement in Africa: A Multidimensional Model Analysis (Published)
One of the arguments to answer the Malthusian thesis stood on the hope the world had in Engineers. It is however getting more difficult to ascertain the possibility of satisfying the needs of a growing world population while preserving the carrying capacity of ecosystems and biodiversity particularly in Africa. The role of the engineer and engineering education in addressing the issues of water, sanitation, energy, shelter, site planning, infrastructure, food production and distribution, communication, poverty and human welfare has been rather limited in Africa. It is therefore doubtful whether human welfare could be optimized through engineering education and practice in Africa for current and future generations. This paper sought to analyze the extent to which engineering education and practice can enhance human welfare in Africa through a multidimensional model approach to human welfare. Data was obtained through face-to-face interviews with engineering educators, engineering students, engineers and beneficiaries of engineered facilities in Ghana. The College of Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology which has provided engineering education for students across Africa since 1952 was used as a proxy for an engineering educator in Africa. Even though Africa has produced engineers who have practiced in the field since the 1950s, the bridge between the engineer and the society he works for has been weak and wobbly. This has not worked well for human welfare improvement. The welfare implications of rethinking the engineer were also discussed.
Keywords: Africa, Engineering education, Ghana, Human welfare, Multidimensional model