Ghana to Liaise with Burkina Faso in Managing the White Volta

Bolgatanga, June 25, GNA - The Water Resource Commission (WRC) of Ghana is to liaise with neighbouring Burkina Faso in managing the White Volta Basin, Professor Clement Dorm-Adzobu, Chairman of WRC said on Friday. To effect this, he said the WRC which aims at managing water resources by operating from major River Basins, would form a Board in the Upper East Region with an office in Bolgatanga to manage the White Volta that takes its source from Burkina Faso and runs through the region.

"A Board comprising all stakeholders in water, would be established to work closely with their counterparts in Burkina Faso with the aim of ensuring a holistic management of the river basin", he added. Professor Dorm-Adzobu, who is leading a team comprising members of the Commission to visit the region and familiarize with the river area, explained that, it was necessary to liaise with Burkina Faso in order to ensure that the White Volta was managed in a sustainable way as it takes its source from that country.

He said the Commission was concerned about creating awareness of water management in a way that would encourage the adoption of good practices and discard those that are negative.

Professor Dorm-Adzobu who led his team to pay a courtesy call on the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, expressed the concern that, while some water bodies like the Densu River were so polluted that, parts of it was not wholesome for human consumption, others were silting up and needed attention. He explained that the WRC was formed in 1998 to coordinate the activities of organizations that manage water bodies and ensure that they were properly used.

"Now, mining companies, Ghana Water Company and others know that water is not free and they pay for its use. The money is then used to manage and sustain the water bodies", he added. Mr. Bukari, welcoming the team, assured them of the support of the Assembly and suggested that the WRC put their expectations on paper so that the Assembly would use that to disseminate the messages to the people. He said the Assembly had drilled 33 bore holes in the municipality and plans to add 44 more this year so as to ensure that the people had good drinking water. He said some of the existing dams in the area needed repairs and appealed to the Commission for help.