Nasia: Stakeholders in the Nasia Sub-Basin of the White Volta Basin have reviewed their watershed management plan with renewed commitment to safeguarding water resources from pollution, flooding, and unregulated sand and gravel mining, among others.
According to Ghana News Agency, the review, which brought together government agencies, civil society, and community leaders, also identified gaps in earlier interventions and redefined stakeholder roles to ensure stronger protection of rivers and streams within the basin. The meeting was organised by the Water Resources Commission under the Agricultural Growth and Improvement for Livelihood Enhancement (AGILE) project, with funding support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Mr. Jesse Kazapoe, Basin Head for the White Volta Basin, Water Resources Commission (WRC), stated that the review was part of the Commission's decentralised governance system, under which nine sub-basins support the Basin Secretariat to deliver its mandate. "Today's meeting was to help the sub-basin committee review some of their watershed plans and to plan ahead for other activities close to the end of the year," he said.
He noted that these plans were developed about three years ago and had not been reviewed since, stating, "We use this opportunity to take stock of what is happening in the catchment and to check whether the interventions we proposed are still relevant." Mr. Kazapoe explained that the session enabled stakeholders to identify loopholes, strengthen weak areas, and reassign roles for efficiency.
Mr. Salifu Yidana, Chairman of the Nasia Sub-Basin Committee, expressed that the review had sharpened the committee's focus on public education and local enforcement. "From here, we will start educating our community members about how to farm along the river basin, how to control bush burning and pollution, especially the way people use harmful chemicals for both farming and fishing," he said.
He emphasised that the Committee would also collaborate with traditional leaders to regulate sand winning and guide contractors on safer excavation methods. "We will engage the chiefs so that any contractor working near the rivers is shown the right place to dig, instead of digging closer to the water channels or roads," he added.
Mr. Yidana identified poor farming practices, pollution, and illegal sand winning as major challenges but expressed hope that the actions agreed upon would help address them. Madam Asana Yidana, the NADMO Director for the West Mamprusi District, described the review as timely, considering the recurring floods and their impact on farmers.
She noted that NADMO had consistently supported communities affected by flooding and land degradation, and the new measures would help reduce disaster risks and protect livelihoods. Madam Yidana explained that by aligning NADMO's disaster preparedness strategies with the sub-basin plan, farmers would receive better guidance on safe farming practices, early warning systems, and alternative land-use approaches.
"If we are able to implement what has been agreed here, our farmers will not only safeguard the water bodies but will also protect their farmlands and avoid yearly losses," she said. Participants included officers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), district assemblies, and representatives of communities in West Mamprusi, Savelugu-Nanton, Gambaga, and Karaga, which fall within the Nasia catchment.
