Climate change is driving rising temperatures, harsh weather conditions and erratic rainfall, causing prolonged drought and flooding leading to significant reduction in surface and groundwater recharge in the Upper East Region, a study has shown.
The situation, which has also led to a reduction in annual rainfall of eight per cent, is posing a serious water crisis to many communities, compelling some residents to increasingly compete for, and rely on unsafe water sources, leading to conflicts.
It was also established that the impact of climate change has led to low crop yields, reduced water availability for livestock, damage to water systems and infrastructure as well as sanitation facilities, leading to waterborne diseases among others.
These were contained in findings of a study conducted by WaterAid Ghana, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene focused organisation, on “Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Assessments (CVRAs),” in five districts in the region.
The study, conducted respectively in the Kassena-Nankana Municipal, Bongo, Bawku West, Kassena-Nankana West and Nabdam Districts, was to identify climate risks affecting access to safe water and explore adaptation strategies to mitigate the impact.
The study forms part of the Securing Water Access Project (SWAP), being implemented by WaterAid Ghana funded from the AB InBev Foundation as part of strategies to strengthen climate resilient WASH systems and increase access to safe water to underserved communities.
It also aims to meet one of the three main goals of the five-year WaterAid Ghana country strategic plan (2023-2028), which focuses on working with local level stakeholders to strengthen resilience of communities amid climate change impact.
Presenting the findings to stakeholders in Bolgatanga, Mr Alfred Avenona, the Project Coordinator in charge of Climate Resilience WASH, WaterAid Ghana, said that data showed that the Nabdam District was the worst affected, with 55 per cent of the residents lacking access to potable water during the dry season.
It further identified aging and infrastructure deficit that were not climate resilient, as well as limited institutional capacity among local governments and organisations , who lacked the resources technical expertise and funding to effectively implement climate adaptation measures, as major challenges to dealing with these impacts.
The findings therefore recommended improved water resources management including introductions of rainwater harvesting schemes, strengthening of WASH infrastructure to make them climate resilient, building institutional capacities, promoting local participation, strengthening disaster preparedness and ensuring sustainable funding as strategic adaptative measures to the challenges.
Mr Ibrahim Musah, the Head of Strategy, Policy and Campaigns, WaterAid Ghana, said apart from the climate change impact, which was global, the five districts were purposively selected for the study because of their proximity to the Sahelian region, in which conditions had been driven by desertification causing flooding and extreme drought.
He said local led strategies were key to addressing the climate change issues and urged the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, particularly those in Northern Ghana to mainstream climate resilience strategies including water resources management, sanitation, hygiene and climate adaption efforts and policies into their Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDPs) and the National Adaptation Plans at the national level.
“Climate change is real, and these findings call for renewed attention to policy issue that is why we are happy that President John Dramani Mahama, has dedicated a Ministry for climate change and sustainability to give the issue and its impact the right attention,” he said.
Mr Jesse Kazapoe, the Head of White Volta Basin of the Water Resources Commission, advocated for aggressive reforestation as a critical strategy to restore degraded lands and forest cover to help improve surface water and underground water recharge.
Mr Haruna Alhassan, the Nabdam District Assembly Development Officer, said the findings of the research would be integrated into the MTDPs and called for stakeholders to support Assembly to implement their strategies to help improve situation.
By Anthony Adongo Apubeo, GNA
