Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - Mr Albert Abongo, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH), on Tuesday stressed the need to strategise on the utilisation of the Volta River between Ghana and Burkina Faso for their mutual benefit and socio-economic development. He said "available research findings indicates that with the much higher population growth in Burkina Faso of 3.5 per cent as opposed to Ghana's 2.3 per cent, it is reckoned that if this relativity in population growth rate maintains, the population of Burkina Faso would overtake that of Ghana by the year 2030".

"This obviously would mean more water utilisation in Burkina Faso that could affect downstream flows into Ghana and impact on Hydro power generation and agriculture". Mr Abongo made the call when addressing the opening session of the first Ghana Water Forum (FGWF) in Accra. The three-day forum under the theme: "Accelerating Water Security for Ghana's Socio-Economic Development," would seek financial and logistical support from government and development partners to ensure effective water security and sanitation.

Recommendations from the forum would be presented at the annual African Water Week scheduled for Johannesburg, South Africa in November 2009. Mr. Abongo noted that although Ghana was blessed with appreciable surface water resources exemplified by the existence of the Volta River and its associated lakes and other river as well as some ground water resources, the country faced tremendous challenges in ensuring its equitable provision and distribution to all and sundry.

He said even the available quantity of fresh water was under severe attack from inimical human activities and practices in the environment. "Compounding the situation is the phenomenon of climate change which has been blamed on rapid industrialisation and contributed to the current change in the world's temperature, giving rise to severe distortions in weather patterns, affecting agriculture and threatening food security world-wide, with Africa being the worst hit," The Minister said. Mr Abongo said the effects of climate change through droughts and floods had impacted negatively on Ghana's hydro-power generation, water supply and irrigation dams.

This phenomenon, he said was not only affecting agricultural production as most industries relied on hydro power for production, but also the tremendous cost of production of industrial goods, thereby reducing Ghana's chances of competiveness on the global market. Mr Abongo said the problem of increasing population, rapid urbanisation, uncontrolled developments, springing up of slums, increased development of solid and liquid waste devoid of adequate disposal mechanisms were negative factors that threatened the nation's water resources. He expressed the hope that after the forum, the water and sanitation sector would have a clearer and more purposeful vision to form the basis of the country's water and sanitation agenda.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama, in a speech read for him by Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, affirmed government's commitment to expand the water and sanitation sector. He said water security was a priority to government because it was key to poverty reduction and the attainment of the eighth agenda set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Vice President Mahama called for private sector partnership in water and sanitation to accelerate Ghana's achievement in water and sanitation towards socio-economic development.

Mr. Minta Aboagye, Director of Water, MWRWH, said agenda for the forum would include Ministerial and Development partners' roundtable, Business roundtable and Ghana Youth and Children's forum. He pointed out that the solution to the current challenges in the sector could not be driven solely by government, but required the active involvement of the private sector, development partners, communities, users and civil society. 20 Oct. 09