WHITE VOLTA BASIN
The White Volta Basin Secretariat serves as the decentralized coordinating and implementation arm of the Water Resources Commission (WRC) in the White Volta River Basin, with its operational office located in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region. It functions as the Secretariat to the White Volta Basin Board (WVBB), which is a stakeholder-oriented, advisory and consultative body established to support Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) efforts across the basin.
The White Volta River Basin was chosen as one of the earliest focus areas for IWRM planning in Ghana due to escalating challenges such as:
- Land and water degradation,
- Increasing water demand for irrigation,
- Proliferation of small dams and dugouts upstream, and
- Recurrent seasonal flooding with severe socio-economic impacts.
- Transboundary water related issues
These challenges necessitated the development of the White Volta River Basin IWRM Plan, first published in 2008 and revised in 2019 through an inclusive, participatory process involving basin stakeholders. The Secretariat plays a crucial role in coordinating the implementation, monitoring, and review of this plan, in accordance with the Water Resources Commission Act 522 of 1996 and Ghana’s National Water Policy.
Mandate and Functions
The White Volta Basin Secretariat is mandated to:
- Facilitate the implementation of IWRM strategies and action plans in the basin;
- Provide technical and administrative support to the White Volta Basin Board;
- Coordinate stakeholder engagements and basin-wide consultations;
- Support the functioning of Sub-Basin Committees to decentralize IWRM activities;
- Serve as a liaison between the WRC, local governments, traditional authorities, and development partners;
- Mobilize data, conduct studies, and monitor water use and environmental trends across the basin.
Governance Structure
The White Volta Basin Board (WVBB), inaugurated in July 2006, comprises representatives from district assemblies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, traditional authorities, and research institutions. Its structure reflects the basin’s hydrological reality, incorporating representatives from nine major sub-basins, each chaired by a District Assembly. The Basin Officer heads the Secretariat and serves as an ex-officio member of the Board.
Sub-Basin Committees
Sub-Basin Committees have been formed in:
- Gambaga
- Kpasenkpe
- Kulpawn
- Lower White Volta
- Middle White Volta
- Mole
- Nabogo
- Nasia
- Sissili
These committees enhance community-level participation, enabling localized planning, monitoring, and implementation of water-related interventions.
Geographical and Demographic Context
The Ghanaian portion of the White Volta River Basin spans approximately 50,000 km², constituting about 20% of the country’s land area and around 44% of the entire White Volta River Basin (also known as the Nakanbé River in Burkina Faso). The river flows through five administrative regions—Upper East, Upper West, Northern, North East, and Savannah—covering 39 districts.
The basin’s terrain is relatively flat with moderate elevation in the northern and eastern parts. It supports a population that is predominantly rural (about 80%), with population densities ranging significantly across regions. Despite its small land share, the Upper East Region hosts nearly half of the basin’s population, resulting in relatively high local population densities.
Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships
The Secretariat has overseen several technical and participatory initiatives, including:
- Development and revision of the White Volta Basin IWRM Plan (2008, 2019),
- Implementation of IWRM at the Kpasenkpe, Kulpawn, Gambaga and Sissili Sub-Basins, supported by the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project and Blue Deal
- Establishment of the White Volta Basin Watershed Fund to support sustainable water resource management, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience in Ghana’s White Volta River Basin.
- Sensitization and capacity building of stakeholders at the community and district levels.
- Vea Dam Catchment Protection Initiative with support from Trees for All under the Blue Deal Project
- Sustainable Sand Mining and Catchment Protection of the Nawuni Sub-catchment with Support from Catholic Relief Services
The White Volta Basin Secretariat stands as a critical institution in Ghana’s water governance framework. By integrating technical coordination with stakeholder participation and decentralization, it ensures that water resources in the basin are managed equitably, sustainably, and in alignment with national development goals.
The Secretariat continues to collaborate with public institutions, development partners, and local communities to address complex environmental and water-related challenges and to build resilience in the face of climate change.
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Leshie Cres, Accra
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