THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES IN WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN BINAABA, BAWKU WEST DISTRICT

Abstract

Current water reforms in most African countries focus on decentralizing water management to the water users, as a way of improving water governance. The target of these reforms is equity, efficiency and sustainability. Unfortunately, the reforms tend to concentrate on the use of statutory laws, and give little consideration to the already existing traditional practices. This report presents the findings of a case that examined traditional water management practices in Binaaba located in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study examined water-related management activities around the Binaaba Dam, which is a small multipurpose dam. Key informant interviews and structured questionnaires administered at the household level were used to assess traditional water management practices in terms of their existence and their effectiveness in sustaining water supply and rural livelihoods. Their implications for Integrated Water Resources Management, and therefore improved water governance, were also assessed. The study revealed that customary laws govern water resources management. Traditional leaders preside over all water related issues. The traditional water management practices were also found to be quite effective for sustaining food production, because everyone is allowed to have access to the water. Moreover, water resources are managed as a whole system. Majority of the people are not aware of the IWRM, indicating that the attempts to introduce IWRM in this area have not been effective. The study concludes that it is important to seriously take into consideration traditional water resources management practices, as these are vital for improved water governance. However, it is essential to first assess the sustainability of the traditional water management practices for effective IWRM implementation and therefore improved water governance.