By Fatima Anafu- Astanga, GNA
Bongo (UE), Feb. 21, GNA - The Water Resource Commission in the Upper East Region and the Kpasenkpe Sub- Basin Committee of the White Volta Basin on Friday discussed ways to address Water Resource challenges within the Kpasenkpe Water Basin.
Among the major challenges identified were, annual heavy floods caused by the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, poor farming practices within the basin, and on- going small scale illegal mining activities in the Basin.
The stakeholders also looked at short term and long term measures needed to address challenges of the Vea Dam in Bolgatanga and Integrated Water Resource Management (WRM) interventions expected to be piloted within a few months in the Vea Dam.
Mr Aaron Aduna, the White Basin Coordinator who facilitated the meeting, also noted that changing river flow patterns and poor rainfall pattern which affected cropping systems would continue to affect water users if they were not addressed.
Participants were also taken through some of the challenges of the Vea Dam among which were the non- functional outlets, blocked and choked laterals, broken and silted canals.
Other challenges were vegetation growth within the reservoir, and pollution from upstream of the Vea catchment area due to poor farming practices.
The new sub basin committee and stakeholders planned to work on some interventions, to implement effective integrated water Resource management plans that would ensure proper regulation of water use within the Basin.
Mr Aduna said identification of users of water, granting water users rights and licensing of water drilling companies were most important to effectively conserve water, develop and utilize water resources.
The White Volta Basin is collaborating with the Dutch Water Authorities under the Blue Deal Project, to support some of the long and short term interventions in the Kpasenkpe Basin, including awareness creation and revival of Water Users Associations (WUAs).
It would also work with communities near the Vea Dam, to improve its present condition.
Mr Andrew Asaviansa, the Basin Officer, in a presentation on interventions carried out in collaboration with Water Aid and Tree Aid, said trees were grown for the protection of the reservoir catchment areas, and sensitization on the buffer zone policy. Also, the Sustainable Water Management Plans (2018 -2023) by Water Aid Ghana, drawn out for the Bongo District Assembly.
Stakeholders constituting the Kpasenkpe Basin include the Nabdam, Talensi, Bongo and Bolgatanga East District Assemblies and the Bolgatanga and Kassena Nankana Municipalities with other key stakeholders such as the Irrigation Company of Upper East Region (ICOUR), who are managers of the Vea dam.
GNA
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