STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BLACK AND WHITE VOLTA BASINS IN THE CENTRAL GONJA DISTRICT OF THE SAVANNAH REGION, GHANA

Abstract

Sustainable management of river basins has become increasingly challenging due to climate change impacts, population growth, pollution, and competing demands for freshwater resources. In Ghana, the Black and White Volta Basins are critical livelihood-supporting ecosystems, yet concerns remain regarding weak coordination and limited stakeholder participation in their management. Although participatory governance is widely promoted as a pathway to sustainable water resource management, there is limited empirical evidence providing a holistic assessment of stakeholder participation and its implications for sustainability outcomes within the Black and White Volta Basins, particularly in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region. This study therefore examined the extent, determinants, and sustainability implications of stakeholder participation in the management of the Black and White Volta Basins. The study specifically sought to (i) assess stakeholders’ knowledge and attitudes towards basin management, (ii) examine the level and forms of stakeholder participation in planning, implementation, monitoring, and benefit-sharing, (iii) evaluate the contribution of stakeholder participation to basin sustainability, and (iv) identify the key challenges and opportunities influencing effective basin management. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative data collected concurrently. Quantitative data were obtained through structured questionnaires administered to 400 respondents selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants, focusing on indigenous participation and traditional ecological knowledge in basin governance. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS Version 22.0 through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance, while qualitative data were analyzed using content and discourse analysis. The findings revealed a high level of awareness of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles, with 82.8% of respondents acknowledging their importance. Indigenous communities were found to play a significant role in sustainable basin management, particularly through participation in planning processes where traditional ecological knowledge contributed to identifying key water-related challenges. The study recorded an overall sustainability score of 70.5, indicating a generally positive sustainability outlook for the basins. Principal Component Analysis showed that attitudes, stakeholder effectiveness, and access to resources accounted for 65.98% of the variance in participation outcomes. However, conflicts over water allocation emerged as the most significant challenge, with a mean score of 2.03. The study concludes that stakeholder participation remains essential for sustainable basin governance, especially when stakeholders are meaningfully involved in planning, implementation, monitoring, and benefit-sharing. It is recommended that the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, in collaboration with the Water Resources Commission and District Assemblies, strengthens participatory governance structures and prioritizes the development of community-managed irrigation systems tailored to the ecological conditions of the Black and White Volta Basins.