Mr Yaw Barima Minister of Works and Housing, on Saturday said African governments required 20 Billion dollars for the provision of infrastructure that would help solve the continent's water problem.

The minister, who was speaking at a three day-workshop organised by the Parliamentary select Committee on Works and Housing to discuss the private sector participation on water at Agona Swedru, said the sector was capital intensive and governments alone could not finance it.

He stated that about 59 per cent of Ghanaians in the urban areas had access to potable water.

Mr. Barima cited that people in towns such as Sunyani, Cape Coast and Yendi experienced perennial water shortage hence there was the need to involve private persons in its supply and said Ghanaians should discard the notion that the commodity should be provided free of charge.

Mr Barima said there was the need for government to ensure that the private persons assisted in improving the water sector.

Mr. S. O .Darko, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing, said Africa's water problem was not as a result of unavailability of resources but rather with the lack of investments and inefficient management of inputs in that sector.

He said people contracted diseases because they used untreated water from ponds, streams and other water bodies.

Mr. Darko said the government saw wisdom in the previous government's initiative aimed at involving the private sector in finding solutions to the water problem.

He asked the Committee to find lasting solutions to the water problem facing the country.

Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Chief Whip, urged the members of the committee to critical assess the water problem to come out with pragmatic solutions.