Buffer Zone Policy ready

Backpage, Nov 10, 2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing has finalised a national buffer zone policy to guide the creation and management of tree covers on land strips along open water bodies, the sector minister, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, told Parliament yesterday.
The policy is part of a number of measures initiated through the Water Resources Commission to protect the various water bodies in the country.
Mr Bagbin made this known when he appeared before Parliament to answer questions by Members of Parliament (MPs).
The MP for Offinso North, Mr Augustine Collins Ntim, had asked the minister about measures being put in place to protect the various water bodies in the country.
Mr Bagbin explained that other measures included the Integrated Water Resources Management, public awareness and education programme, water quality monitoring, and transboundary co-operation.
He said the national buffer zone policy was to restore, conserve and maintain the ecological integrity, and optimise the socio-economic benefits of such designated areas.
The minister stated that in the meantime pilot tree planting programmes for the restoration of river banks were being implemented in selected river basins such as Densu and the White Volta through support given to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations.
In addition, river basin boards were being set up to ensure co-ordinated implementation of programmes to address basin-specific water problems. So far the Densu, White Volta and the Ankobra boards, he said, were functioning effectively.
Answering another question posed by the MP for Chiana/Paga, Mr Leo Alowe Kaba, Mr Bagbin admitted that water supply in the Upper East Region was insufficient since only 14 per cent of areas in the region had been provided with water systems from Bolgatanga, Navrongo and Bawku.
In the long term, he said, funding was being sourced from the ORIO programme of The Netherlands to develop a water supply project in the region.
Mr Bagbin said the feasibility study was currently being undertaken by Wittenven and Bos Engineers of the Netherlands, which would eventually lead to the construction of new water supply system with the water source being the Tono Dam.
He said the grant agreement had been signed and the feasibility study was expected to take six months while the project itself would take two years to be completed.