Management of Freshwater Bodies in Ghana
Until recent times, there was an incorrect perception in many developing countries, including Ghana, that considerable water resources were available. Faced with increasing population, intensification of agricultural, mining, and industrial activities together with natural events, the demand on both the quantity and quality of Ghana’s water resources is now becoming a major concern. The population of Ghana increased from 6.7 million in 1960 to 8.6 million in 1970 to 12.3 million in 1984 to 18.9 million in 2000. The increasing population in Ghana contradicts sharply with the observed decline in rainfall amounts in many parts of the country, the rising temperatures nation-wide, and the pollution of water bodies from both natural and human activities. The freshwater bodies of Ghana are thus vulnerable and must have to be efficiently managed and utilized to sustain the socio-economic growth of the nation. Towards this objective, recommendations and suggestions have been made in terms of a joint participatory approach between local communities and state agencies in addition to suggestions for enactment of policies, education, and enforcement of laws.