EU could do better on sub-Saharan Africa water, sanitation projects - audit

Fewer than half of 23 drinking water and sanitation projects funded with development aid from the European Union (EU) in six Sub-Saharan countries have met the needs of beneficiaries, and 19 are at risk of failure without ongoing financial support, according to an auditors' report.

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed the projects to see if the European Commission has managed aid for drinking water and basic sanitation in a manner that would lead to effective and sustainable results.

In only four of the projects were fees for services set at a level to cover running costs, the audit report said, adding that unless future aid, or subsidies from national or local governments are made available, their sustainability is at risk.

"Our objective in looking at this was to see whether the money was being well used in the continuing interests of recipients, so we asked whether the projects carried out did actually meet the needs as defined," said David Bostock, the ECA member responsible for the report.

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1. For a sustinable drinking water supply project, several activities have to be carried out in parallel and an integrated manner; these are:(i) quantitative and qualitative water source assessment, (ii)cluster groundwater wells are recommended to serve local communities, (iii)Establishing Water Supply Committees, (iv)Insitutional developemnt and capacity building programs by on the job training for O&M of the water supply system, (v) Cost recovery of O&M costs, (vi) M&E missions every 3 months to each project by professional engineers for the first 2 years after completion and handing over to the local committee, (vii) Governance has to be taken into consideration in every step of the way, (viii)Establishing proper communication procedures among all concerned, and (ix) Mitigation of corruption. Ali Allabadi E-Mail:allabadi@univdar.com.jo