Project to manage resources in Volta Basin launched

Ghana and the five other Volta River Basin (VRB) riparian countries have launched a project to implement a strategic action programme for the effective management of their shared water resources in the basin.

It is known as the Volta River Basin Strategic Action Implementation (VRBSAI). The five other countries are Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire.

The implementation of the VRBSAI is expected to begin soon and will be completed by 2019.

To address some challenges associated with the Volta River Basin, the Volta River Basin Authority (VRBA), the management authority of the basin, developed a five-year strategic plan in 2009, which is to be implemented by the project.

Two development partners - the World Bank and the Global Environmental Facility have provided $10 million to the management of the VRBA, to support the effective management of the VRB.

The World Bank provided $3million, while the Global Environmental Facility also provided $7million, which will also be used to support the implementation of the strategic action programme. 

Project launch

Launching the project in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, said it was an undeniable fact that the world was in an era where the promotion of regional and global integration was an important trigger and solution for national development.

“Against this backdrop, it is heart-warming that the government of Ghana and its riparian neighbours continue to demonstrate genuine concern to manage and develop their shared water resources by partaking in international cooperation and arrangements among and between themselves,” he said.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said that despite the obvious challenges of sharing the river basin, the riparian countries should be delighted that their collective efforts and cooperation had culminated in the VRBA promoting the proper management and development of the water resources.

“This cooperation has also helped to ensure equity in sharing the benefits thereof among all riparian countries,” he said.

The minister also said even though the management authority for the VRB had been provided with working principles and had established its institutional framework, it could only fulfil its mandate effectively, if it was adequately supported and strengthened technically, financially and building human resource capacity.

Make operational soon

In his opening remarks at the ceremony, the acting Executive Director of VRBA, Dr Charles Biney, called on all stakeholders in the VRBSAI project to make the project operational as soon as possible.

He thanked the government of Ghana for accepting the authority’s request for it to host the launch.

Dr Biney also expressed the authority’s gratitude to the World Bank and the Global Environmental Facility for providing financial assistance to the project.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of the Water Resources Commission, who doubles as the focal person for the VRBA, Mr Ben Ampomaa, said the authority was growing steadily and currently was better poised to handle the challenges the riparian countries faced in sharing the Volta River Basin.

Writer’s email Doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh