"Hände weg von unserem Wasser!"

Seit fünf Jahren kämpft in Ghana eine immer breiter werdende Koalition unterschiedlichster gesellschaftlicher Organisationen gegen den von der Regierung akzeptierten Weltbank-Plan der Wasserprivatisierung. Jetzt gibt es einen neuen Versuch diese Privatisierung endlich durchzuziehen, denn die französischen und südafrikanischen Unternehmen drängen ihre Beauftragten. Die NACP - die Nationale Koalition gegen Wasserprivatisierung hat Anfang Mai 2005 einen (englischen, mit kurzer dt Zusammenfassung) Solidaritätsaufruf verbreitet "Keep your hands off our water", mit dem diese breite Widerstandsfront nun auch internationale Unterstützung sucht.

Kurze deutsche Zusammenfassung (siehe auch Link am Ende des Beitrags):

Die NACP, der zahlreiche Organisationen überall im Land angehören, darunter auch die Gewerkschaften, kämpft seit dem Jahr 2000 gegen die Wasserprivatisierung in Ghana - bisher mit viel Erfolg, denn eigentlich sollte das Projekt längst abgeschlossen sein - und auch in der jetzigen neuen "Runde" sind aufgrund des gesellschaftlichen Drucks bereits einige bietende Unternehmen "ausgestiegen".

Schon heute haben rund ein Drittel der Bevölkerung (von der die Hälfte weniger als 1 US-Dollar am Tag verdient) keinen direkten Wasserzugang und zwei Drittel sind ohen Wassersanierung. Eine kürzlich veröffentlichte Studie zeigte, dass in den Armenvierteln der Hauptstadt Akkra die bewohnerInnen bereits heute zwischen 18 und 25 Prozent ihres Einkommens für Wasser ausgeben müssen.

Das wesentliche am "neuen" Plan des IWF und der Weltbank zu Wasserprivatisierung besthet lediglich darin, dass die bietenden Unternehmen - heute noch aus Frankreich und Südafrika - statt fürher 10 jetzt nur noch einen 3-Jahresvertrag kaufen können - wobei die NACP nicht nur prinzipiell dagegen ist, sondern auch darauf hinweist, dass dieser Vertrag keine klausel enthält, die weitere Optionen ausschliessen würde.

Proest- bzw internationale Unterstützungsbriefe usw können über die Homepage des NACP (siehe unten) abgerufen werden.

(Zsfsg hrw)

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TELL UMGENI, RAND WATER, VITENS, VEOLIA & SAUR TO STOP PUSHING FOR WATER PRIVATIZATION IN GHANA

Since 2000, civil society organizations in Ghana have organized to oppose a World Bank-backed project to contract the urban water system to large multinational water corporations. The Ghana National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water (GhanaCAP), representing a broad cross-section of Ghanaian civil society, including women's groups, trade unions, public health workers, students, environmental groups and disabled organizations, successfully interrupted "business as usual" for the multinational corporate takeover of Ghana's water, setting back the timetable for completing the privatization deal for three consecutive years.

The water privatization scheme has encountered numerous other obstacles, including a withdrawal of investment commitments from the interested companies. Ghanains have won some important victories in the past few weeks: two of the top pre-qualified bidding companies bowed to pressure and announced their withdrawl from the bidding process. Yet, as you read this, a group of corporate firms remain defiant in conspiring with the World Bank and the Ghanian government to commercialize Ghana's water utilities, and are using questionable and undemocratic means to further this dangerous agenda.

THE IMPACT OF WATER PRIVATIZATON IN GHANA

Ghanaian government, IMF and World Bank "reforms" in the water sector are preparing the water utility for privatization. These so-called reforms include "increased cost recovery" which has more than doubled the cost of water for consumers in the last three years. According to the free market philosophy of the IMF and World Bank, increasing the "revenue flows" of the water utility will make it more lucrative on the international market.

However, in Ghana more than 50 percent of the population earns less than US$1 a day and approximately 40 percent fall below the national poverty line. Currently about 35 percent of the Ghanaian population lacks access to safe water and 68 percent lack sanitation services. A recent survey by the Ghana-based Integrated Social Development Center (ISODEC) demonstrates that poor households in five communities in Accra - Madina, Sukura, Mamobi, Nima and Ashaiman - spend between 18 and 25 percent of their income on water alone. Given these realities, it is absolutely inhumane and irresponsible for the IMF and World Bank to promote "increased cost recovery" and"automatic tariff adjustment mechanisms" - the policies used by these two institutions to raise the consumer price of water, usually as a prelude to privatization. Additionally, thousands of current water workers are bound to lose their jobs while external agencies and greedy multinational utility companies hold greater control over Ghana's public services. The National CAP of Water remains concerned that the privatization of water will have further negative impacts on public health, women's work, access to safe, affordable water, and local control, accountability, and development in general in Ghana.

STOP THE NEW PROPOSAL

The World Bank is claiming that in response to the concerns of civil society they have a new proposal, to offer the interested bidding water multinationals a 3-year service management contract. This would replace the previous proposal to offer the Ghana Water Company, Ltd. to the bidding companies for a 10-year lease contract. (This "new" World Bank prescribed agenda is currently being vigorously forced on Ghana despite objections by the majority population. The process is characterized by total secrecy, bribery and intimidation of opponents).

The National CAP of Water is concerned that a service management contract could be worse than a lease for Ghanains. With a lease arrangement, the private sector's reward is tied to performance and it faces the risk of lost invested capital and profits if it fails to perform. With the new service management contract now being proposed the government of Ghana will bear all the risks while the private company enjoys guaranteed payments. In addition, it is not unlikely that the 3-year contract is just a maneuver to "get a foot in the door" as the saying goes. The 3-year contract could contain a clause that offers the global water companies a 10-year lease or management contract after the 3 years is up. The National CAP of Water is not fooled by the World Bank's new proposal. The resistance to the privatization of water will continue and the National Cap of Water states that the ultimate objective remains clear: We must ensure that water remains in public hands and that access to potable water is available to all and guaranteed as a human right. While some of the pre-qualified companies have withdrawn their bids as demanded by Ghanaians, the remaining companies are defiant on privatizing Ghana's public water systems.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

- Tell the bidding corporations and the WB to stop pushing for the new service Management contract proposal in Ghana.

- Tell the corporations to stop all bidding on the controversial Ghana water project.

- Tell the World Bank to stop all loans with conditions that raise the price of water for those who make less than $2 a day.

- Tell the WB to stop unconditional prescription of water privatization and foreign corporate involvement in the water sector as conditionality for loans.

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Weitere Informationen, Protestvorlagen etc auf der Homepage der

Ghana National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water (GhanaCAP)