Political Economy Analysis of Rural Water Performance Under Different Management Arrangements in Ghana
We conducted a political economy analysis (PEA) to identify how electoral politics, political patronage, macroeconomic factors, and donor preferences, among other factors, influence rural and small town piped water supply development and performance in Ghana. This PEA complements a quantitative study of rural water supply performance in Ghana. Both our quantitative study and this PEA focus on three rural water supply management arrangements:
Public utility provision via Ghana’s Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA);
Community-based management (CBM) via small town Water and Sanitation Management Teams (WSMTs) that are supported by local governments (Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, or simply District Assemblies); and
Donor-supported Safe Water Enterprises (SWEs) operated by social enterprises on market principles but supported by external aid.

