You are cordially invited to an Interfaculty Lecture to be delivered by Dr. GEORGE A. DARPAAH of the Department of Animal Biology & Conservation Science, Faculty of Science as follows:
Topic: HYDRODAMS, ECOLOGY AND RIVER BANK ECONOMICS:Dilemma of Development or Policy Planning Mistake - The Volta River
Project in Perspective
Date: Thursday, 14th November 2013.
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Venue: K.A. Busia Hall
Chairman: Prof. Daniel K. Asiedu, Dean, Faculty of Science
Abstract
TOPIC: HYDRODAMS, ECOLOGY AND RIVER BANK ECONOMICS: Dilemma of Development or Policy Planning Mistake - The Volta River Project in Perspective
This lecture seeks to pitch the economic gains associated with the Akosombo hydro-electric dam project against the devastation of the ecological systems of the upstream and downstream reaches and its consequent effects on the socio-economic stance of the riparian community and pose the question:
‘The Scientist, the Policy Planner and the Politician; who is not talking?
The Volta basin with an estimated drainage area of 390 000 km2 has its tributaries and distributaries flowing through large areas of arid sahelian type of climatic zones in six West African countries, i.e. Mali, Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin and Ghana (Jonathan et al., 2005). This river basin is the 9th largest in Africa, generating an estimated 32,000 million cubic meters of water in run offs annually (FAO, 2001; CPWF, 2003). It is also generally thought to be among the poorest river basins, in terms of the economic wellbeing of its people, in Africa. Precipitation in the Volta basin region is characterized by large variability, a consequence of which is the periodic occurrence of droughts. Unpredictable rainfall is a major factor in the economic feasibility of hydraulic development schemes, as witnessed by the power shortages which plagued Ghana in 1998 and followed by a load shedding exercise throughout the country in 2007 and to a lighter extent, 2013. All these contribute to the general impoverishment of the people living in the basin. It must be emphasized, though, that lately, several attempts are being made in the form of workshops, seminars and formation of commissions to address the inherent problems of poverty, disease and deprivation in this area.
After Ghana’s energy crisis in 1998, international efforts at identifying potential conflicts emanating from water usage within the Volta basin were stepped up (Barry et al., 2004). The interdisciplinary GLOWA Volta Project (GVP), an international organization with a research focus on the Volta Basin was to provide an analysis of the physical and socio-economic determinants of the hydrological cycle in the Volta Basin in the face of global change. Also through the effort of GLOWA Volta Project, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and other international organizations, the Volta Basin has now been included as one of the 12 basins world-wide in the Challenge Program on Water and Food of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (GLOWA Volta Project, 2002). The Governments of Ghana and Burkina Faso have signed a “Ghana-Burkina-Faso Joint Declaration” to foster a better understanding of water usage among all the riparian communities (ZEF, 2005).
Hydro dams are artificial structures built across river channels with the sole intent of stopping or controlling the natural flow of water in the river. The dams and resulting water reservoirs formed from the modification of the flow regime are put to multiple uses which may include the following: domestic water supply, agriculture, fishing, flood control, recreation and hydroelectric power generation, among others. So important are these dams that even animals such as the beavers build dams (Beaver dams) to enhance their food gathering capacities. There are thousands of dams built on all the continents including Africa where some of the largest manmade lakes of the world are situated. The large reservoirs, predicatively, also present big ecological and socio-economic problems that often seem to overwhelm the managers of these water bodies. On the Akosombo dam project, I submit that although the development of the dam has had profound positive effect on the economy of Ghana as other many emerging economies have benefitted from such projects in terms of access to cheap hydro-electric power. The ecological implications of the actions on the biota of the upstream and downstream reaches appeared not to have been taken on board or simply ignored at the time of project design. Development of predictive models necessary to guide the managers of these systems appeared to have been equally lost of the policy planners (the pre-impoundment studies notwithstanding). Because the effect of the changes associated with the alterations of the flow regime, both upstream and downstream (Lake Embryology) is often very slow, the ecological modifications and its impacts are not readily perceived. However the associated degradation of the environment, disease proliferation, and loss of lives through boat accidents and general impoverishment of the riparian communities fly at the face.
It is commonplace to read statements such as the following in the news:
“Yeji residents petition Government over stumps in the Volta Lake” “Ghana motorboat capsized at Lake Volta, Jasikan, Ghana. 120 people dead etc etc.”
Laudable ideas of signed convections, treaties, memoranda of understanding etc. but in reality what have these translated into in the lives of the ordinary riparian communities?
Question: Is there anything wrong? WHO IS NOT TALKING?
The following areas are highlighted:
• The development of the Akosombo dam project and its importance as a national asset
• The ecological changes associated with the upstream and downstream reaches
• The changes in ex-riverside economics
• Limnological implications of water movements in large reservoirs such as the Volta Lake and
• Development of predictive models for remediation of frequent accidents on the Volta Lake and fisheries development in the Lower Volta.
