A study by WaterAid Ghana has revealed alarming trends of significant reductions in surface water and groundwater recharge in the Nabdam, Bongo, Bawku West, and Kassena-Nankana districts and the Kassena-Nankana Municipal in the Upper East region.
The findings point to a deeper and growing water crisis, exacerbated by climate change, as these districts struggle to cope with increasing temperatures, reduced rainfall, and extreme weather patterns.
The study, which formed part of the Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Assessments (CVRAs), focuses on identifying climate risks affecting water access and exploring adaptation strategies. According to the findings, these five districts are losing an average of about 8% of rainfall annually, leading to an increased reliance on unsafe water sources. Notably, this has fuelled heightened conflicts over access to water, as communities face dwindling resources.
“Women, who are traditionally responsible for water collection, are now spending significantly more time retrieving water. The study notes that in the Bongo District, for instance, a woman who once spent just three minutes at a borehole now spends up to 10 minutes collecting the same amount of water. This increased time burden on women not only affects household water access but also undermines gender equality, as women are unable to engage in other livelihood activities or take care of family needs,” Head of Strategy, Policy, and Campaigns at WaterAid Ghana, Ibrahim Musah stated.
Mr. Musah who spoke to the media after the dissemination of the study’s findings in Bolgatanga, emphasized the unique challenges faced by these districts, particularly due to their proximity to Burkina Faso. “These five districts were chosen for this study because of their geography. They share borders with Burkina Faso, a Sahelian country, and the climate effects there are taking a heavy toll,” he explained.
The findings that were presented by Alfred Avenona, Project Coordinator in charge of Climate Resilience WASH indicated that the Nabdam district has been hit particularly hard, with approximately 55% of households lacking access to safe drinking water during the dry season. In the Kassena-Nankana West District, the situation is even more dire, with 60% of households relying on unprotected water sources during this critical period.
“The impact of this contributes to reducing crop yields and affecting food security. Livestock productivity is also threatened by heat stress, reduced water availability, high mortality of livestock, and theft of animals,” the findings added.
The study had it that state and private institutions lack the resources, technical expertise, and funding to implement climate adaptation measures effectively. The study recommends rainwater harvesting schemes, groundwater recharge, replace aging and damaged WASH infrastructure, and training for local governments and communities on climate-integrated planning, Financing among others.
Haruna Tia Alhassan, the Development Planning Officer for the Nabdam district, said his assembly will factor in the findings in the assembly’s Medium Term Development Plan to improve the lives of the residents.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Ghana
