By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, Aug 12, GNA – The second Regional Stakeholders Forum on Sustainable Sand Mining has been held in Tamale as part of efforts to protect the ecological integrity of the White Volta River Basin while ensuring sustainable livelihoods for communities.
The two-day forum was organized by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), Water Resources Commission (WRC) and the Minerals Commission.
It formed part of ongoing initiatives funded by Guinness Ghana, Diageo Nigeria, and The Nature Conservancy aimed at restoring the White Volta River Basin to promote water security and sustainable livelihoods.
Over 120 participants including representatives from the NRCC, traditional authorities, District Assemblies, regulatory agencies, academia, civil society networks, tipper truck unions, excavator owners and the media attended the forum.
The forum featured presentation of the Draft Framework by the TWGSSM, plenary discussions on broader sand mining challenges and opportunities across the basin, and action planning workshops that finalized next steps and responsibilities for adoption and implementation.
The forum built on the outcomes of the first stakeholder engagement held earlier in the year and presented and validated the Draft Integrated Regulatory Framework on Sustainable Sand Mining, developed by the Technical Working Group on Sustainable Sand Mining (TWGSSM).
The framework was designed to guide community-based environmentally sustainable sand mining practices within the Nawuni sub-catchment and across the broader White Volta River Basin.
The White Volta River Basin, covering approximately 400,000 kilometer square, remains a critical water source for millions of people in the northern part of the country.
However, unregulated sand mining, unsustainable agriculture and degraded riparian areas have severely impacted water quality and quantity increasing treatment costs and threatening community resilience.
A study by CRS and WRC estimated that over 15 million cubic meters of sand had accumulated in the Nawuni sub-catchment underscoring the urgent need for regulated extraction practices.
Mr Francis Gumah, Head of Programming at CRS Ghana, speaking at the forum, said “This forum is a pivotal step in building consensus around sustainable sand mining.”
He added that “By making inputs and validating the draft regulatory framework and engaging diverse stakeholders, we lay the foundation for resilient watershed management and sustainable livelihoods.”
Mr Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister, who was represented by Mr Eric Ofori Arthur, a Principal Development Planning Officer at NRCC, said “The Northern Regional Coordinating Council is fully committed to supporting the fight against illegal sand mining across the White Volta River Basin.”
He added that “We recognize the urgent need to safeguard the White Volta River, which is the primary source of water for Tamale. By working hand in hand with district assemblies, traditional authorities, and regulatory agencies, we will ensure that the Draft Integrated Regulatory Framework developed by the Technical Working Group is effectively implemented.”
He said the framework provided a clear path toward sustainable practices encouraging all stakeholders to unite behind it to ensure that sand mining became regulated, environmentally responsible, and beneficial to the people.
Mr Sulemana Alhassan, Northern Regional Water Quality Manager of Ghana Water Limited said “The deteriorating water quality caused by unregulated sand mining had already increased treatment costs for communities in Tamale.
He said “With coordinated effort, district assemblies, miners and traditional authorities have demonstrated that sand mining could remain both environmentally sustainable and economically viable.”
The forum concluded with a validated Draft Integrated Regulatory Framework incorporating stakeholder inputs, consensus on district-level bylaws for sustainable sand mining, commitments from assemblies, miners, and traditional authorities to advance regulatory adoption, and a collaborative action plan for implementation.
GNA
Edited by Eric K Amoh /Audrey Dekalu
Writer’s Email: [email protected]