Fatima Anafu-Astanga
Zebilla (UE), Sept. 15, GNA – The Gambaga Sub-basin under the White Volta Basin has been identified as unique, requiring high rate of investments to promote social and economic development in the area.
Mr Jesse Kassapoe, the Coordinator of the White Volta Basin, Water Resources Commission (WRC) in the Upper East Region, said this in a welcome address at a stakeholders meeting at Zebilla in the Bawku West District.
Mr Kassapoe said the Gambaga Basin had multi -faceted challenges, including artisanal mining activities, extractive processes, and pollution which could have negative repercussions if not regulated well and managed effectively.
He said the WRC would work with the technical committee to situate the issues identified in a broader context of the Integrated water Resources management (IWRM) and Investment plan where various organizations would be engaged to take up the different areas for implementation.
He said as part of providing the needed technical support, the WRC would work with the organizations carrying out the activities to find potential areas of funding to carry out the interventions.
Mr Andrew Asaviansa, an Assistant Basin Officer, facilitated a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) tool, which is an approach that allows the decision makers to understand the impact of their plan or programme.
He also guided stakeholders to set up a working committee to consolidate interventions for the sub- basin.
The local government representation in the Gambaga Basin is represented by the Bawku West District Assembly, Bawku Municipal, Garu District, Tempane District, Pusiga district and other identified lead and collaborators responsible for the implementation such as NADMO, Savannah Agriculture Research institute (SARI), Zuuri Organic and Vegetable Farmers Association (ZOVFA),Tree Aid and coordinated by the WRC.
Apart from formation of the committee, consequent meetings would consider other collaborators and proposal development to find funding for the issues identified.
Currently, the Kpasenkpe sub-Basin sub -committee which was first to be rolled out , represented by the Talensi District Assembly, has initiated Integrated water Resources management (IWRM) activities in collaboration with stakeholders .
Prominent in the interventions is the re- afforestation programme for protection around the Vea dam and river banks serving as buffer of the water resource.
Out of nine sub- basins identified, the Gambaga sub-basin is the second to be rolled out to address the environmental challenges affecting the White Volta Basin.
GNA