Workshop on water charter for Volta Basin held in Bolgatanga

A three days workshop on the development of a Water Charter for the Volta Basin has taken place in the Bolgatanga municipality of the Upper East region. 

The workshop brought together participants from Togo, Burkina Faso and Ghana. 

The aim of the workshop was to review the draft report on the technical, legal and institutional diagnostic study for the Volta Basin Water Charter Development. 

The Volta is a Trans boundary river, shared by Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Togo and Mali. 

In order to ensure a sustainable Trans boundary water resources management, the six countries signed the convention on the status of the Volta River and the establishment of the Volta Basin Authority in 2007. 

It was however implemented in 2009. Speaking with the media, the Executive Director of the Volta Basin based in Burkina Faso, Robert Yaouvi dissosusi, said in order to build its capacity toward Trans boundary water resources management and to implement the principles of good governance of water resources and environmental protection, the Volta Basin Authority has developed a strategic Plan for 2015-2019. 

This, he added is being implemented with support of the World Bank through the Volta Basin Strategic Action Program Implementation Project. 

He explained further that component of this project focuses on the development of a water Charter for the Volta Basin. 

Mensoueir dissosusi, explained that the Water Charter will clarify the roles and responsibilities of riparian countries in the use of water resources, strengthen the Volta Basin Authority mandate to promote a harmonious and coordinated water policy in the basin. 

It will also define the principles that will allow sustainable integrated water resources management in the basin. 

Ghana’s Chief Basin Officer, Aron Bundi, noted that a review of the water Charter of the Volta River basin will also help tackle climate change. 

According to him climate change and its related effect has no boundaries and therefore needs a holistic approach. 

He was optimistic that at the end of the workshop fruitful deliberations will be made to safe guard the basin, maintain the existing peaceful coexistence between the six countries. 

Mr. Bundi, entreated natives of each countries involved in the draft to use the Volta river judiciously because water is very precious.

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