Environmental crisis prompts action as stakeholders validate water plan for Kulpawn Sub-Basin
These environmental challenges, largely driven by human activity and poor land use, have drawn urgent attention from stakeholders working to safeguard the basin’s water and ecological resources
Rampant deforestation, recurring bushfires and poor waste management practices are threatening the sustainability of the Kulpawn Sub-Basin in Northern Ghana.
These environmental challenges, largely driven by human activity and poor land use, have drawn urgent attention from stakeholders working to safeguard the basin’s water and ecological resources.
At a recent validation workshop, participants flagged the rapid expansion of charcoal production as a major factor in the area’s degradation, citing its impact on forest cover, biodiversity, and local climate.
Siltation of rivers and streams also emerged as a critical concern. Soil erosion, worsened by unsustainable farming, is leading to the silting of water bodies—reducing both water quality and flow.
Compounding the situation are sanitation challenges in many communities, where improper waste disposal continues to pollute surface and groundwater sources.
The workshop also highlighted the growing vulnerability of the basin to climate change.
Projections presented during the discussions warned that streamflows in the Kulpawn River could drop by as much as 50% over the next three decades if current trends continue, severely affecting water security and ecological stability.
Stakeholders review draft water management plan
The two-day validation workshop formed part of a long-term effort to develop Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) plans for the Kulpawn and Sisili sub-basins. It brought together community leaders, technical experts and basin authorities to review and approve the draft plans, which were developed through a participatory approach.
Head of the White Volta Basin, Jesse Kazapoe, said the Water Resources Commission had adopted a sub-basin model of governance to decentralise water management. He explained that the White Volta Basin had been divided into nine sub-basins, allowing for more inclusive decision-making at the local level.
A basin of ecological significance
Located within the expansive White Volta Basin—which spans about 50,000 square kilometres—the Kulpawn Sub-Basin is of strategic and ecological importance. It lies mainly in the Upper West Region, covering key districts such as Sissala West, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa, and Wa East, and stretches into parts of Sissala East, Nadowli-Kaleo, North Gonja, Central Gonja, Jirapa and the Upper East Region.
The area also forms part of the Western Wildlife Corridor, a migratory route for animals moving between Ghana and Burkina Faso through the Gbelle Resource Reserve.
Three-year planning process yields actionable roadmap
The IWRM plan for the Kulpawn Sub-Basin was developed over three years through collaboration with communities, technical institutions, research bodies and development partners. Supported by the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project, the plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for the sustainable management of natural and water resources.
Community education features prominently in the plan, with a focus on discouraging practices such as chemical fishing, bush burning and unsustainable agriculture. Kazapoe emphasised that changing attitudes at the grassroots level is crucial for long-term environmental stewardship.
The plan also includes proposals for improved water infrastructure, including new and expanded dams to ensure year-round water availability. Climate-resilient planning is another core component, with stakeholders urging that interventions align with national climate adaptation strategies.
In addition, the creation of sub-basin committees is expected to strengthen local governance, empowering communities to take part in decisions affecting their environment.
From paper to action
At the workshop, participants reviewed the IWRM plan chapter by chapter, ensuring the technical proposals aligned with the lived experiences of communities in the basin.
Kazapoe described the final document as a “practical tool” forged through years of collaboration, validation and consensus-building. He said the endorsement of the plan signals a major step forward in decentralised water governance in northern Ghana.
With the validation process complete, focus now shifts to mobilising resources, building local capacity and enforcing environmental regulations across the sub-basin.
Report by Mark Smith for Asaase News in the Upper East Region
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