Riparian Buffer Zone Policy for Managing Fresh Water Bodies in Ghana Launched

The Riparian Buffer Zone Policy for Managing Freshwater Bodies in Ghana is now ready for implementation and was launched in Accra, on Wednesday May 7^th, 2014. Its overall objective is to ensure that all designated buffer zones along rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs and other water bodies shall be sustainably managed for the mutual benefit of all users. 

The launch of the long over due Policy is the climax of the 10 year formulation process, which was started in 2004 by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing in collaboration with the Water Resources Commission (WRC) and other stakeholder interest agencies including the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD), Volta River Authority (VRA), Forest Services Division (FSD), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National House of Chiefs as well as civil society groups.

The Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, who launched the document on behalf of Minister Collins Duada, described the Policy as “…an additional major output and working tool for the management of our water resources.” He noted that the use of natural buffer zones, “to protect freshwater resources from degradation and pollution was strategic as riparian buffers provide a wide range of environmental, economic and social benefits including stabilising stream banks, storing flood waters and maintaining good water quality…”  

Mr. Asamoah was however concerned about the challenge of how to make the outlined policy decisions practically workable particularly within the national and district level integrated planning. His concern bordered on the fact that even though water resources management and spatial development are closely linked, beneficiaries like municipalities and property developers are often unwilling to contribute to the cost of water management such as creation of buffers. The Deputy Minister admitted: “the needs are real and the challenges enormous,” adding, “but we will be equal to the task if we coordinate our efforts better by complementing our strengths and comparative advantages… for the policy to be meaningfully implemented.”

Commenting on the Policy Document, the Chairman for the launch ceremony, Nana Agyewodin Professor Adu Gyamfi Ampem, pointed out that “the essential thing is the realistic involvement of all stakeholders in meaningful dialoguing as a contribution to the Policy’s implementation process.  Nana Agyewodin, who is the Board Chairman of the WRC and Chief of Akyerensua in the Brong-Ahafo Region, deplored the attitude of disregard of most Ghanaians for polices and directives. This, he said, was evident in the reckless exploitation of natural resources especially by “galamsey” or illegal miners, and stressed that “if steps are not taken to check galamsey, water scarcity will become frightening in Greater Accra and Easter regions,”  in the nearest future.”

 

Objectives of the Policy

The 35 page Policy document has been designed to provide comprehensive measures and actions to guide the coordinated creation of vegetative buffers for the preservation and functioning of the country’s water bodies and vital ecosystems.  These measures and actions are outlined in specific strategies for five identified areas – maintaining the ecosystem functions of buffer zones; sustaining the multi-functionality of buffer zones; riparian buffer zones specific to urban and peri-urban areas; building capacity through research and education, training and empowerment of communities on conservation of buffer zones; and coordinating and harmonizing policies, bye-laws and traditional practices on buffer zones among government institutions and other involved parties.

Recommended Standard Buffer Widths

The Policy has recommended standard widths for riparian buffer zones.  The standard widths are 60 to 90 meters shoreline protection for municipal reservoirs such as the Weija Dam and Lake Bosomtwe; 10 to 60 meters for major perennial rivers and streams including the Volta, Tano and Offin; 10 to 20 meters for minor perennial streams; 10 to 15 meters for important seasonal streams; 10 to 50 meters for streams within forest reserves; and 30 meters around the perimeter of wetlands as defined from the high water elevation. 

These recommended standard widths either tie in with or slightly vary from existing widths for buffer zone protection arrangements of relevant institutions, which are also captured in the Policy document.  They include the FSD, whose buffer zone arrangement has to do the prohibition of logging within 50 meters of major streams and 25 meters along smaller streams; the Wildlife Division, whose buffer zone arrangement provides a three-tier concept for the core, support and management zones without specified widths; and the TCPD that provides for a no-development buffer zone area of 300 meters wide between a water body and the development area. 

The others are the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines, which has instituted that a minimum of 100 meters off the water mark should be declared as protected areas; the Ghana Water Company Limited specifically for the Weija Dam, establishing approximately 15 meters contour line above the mean sea level as the Dam’s buffer area; and the Hydrological Services Department, that has specified between 10 to 30 meters along both banks of major drains and water courses in Accra and Tema metropolitan areas. 

According to the Policy document there are no well documented or clearly defined buffer zone arrangements for other some institutions and stakeholders including the VRA, EPA, Water Management Units of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, relevant NGOs and local communities. 

Co-ordination

To ensure a well co-ordinated implementation of the Policy at all levels, it has specified roles for major stakeholder groups such as government departments and agencies – who will be mainly responsible for preparing plans for the management, monitoring and evaluation of all existing and proposed buffer zones; Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies will  establish, where appropriate, specific bye-laws declaring  buffer zones as protected areas to ensure conservation of unique riparian areas including sacred groves and stream beds; and Traditional rulers will facilitate the establishment and  long-term management of buffer zones on communal lands that should evolve into full community ownership.

The Policy acknowledges the different roles of men and women as crucial for the very survival of buffer habitats. It has therefore stated that conservation and management activities in buffer zones will be pursued through a gender equitable perspective. 

Precautions

The Policy seems to be diplomatic about construction and commercial activities, logging and harvesting, and farming practices in riparian buffer zones.  It does not prohibit such activities, but enjoins that “streams and other areas within the riparian buffer zone shall be left in stable conditions upon completion of development activities…” The Policy however, mandates government agencies to make regulations that may restrict development activities in buffer zones.

It highlights the distances that water pollution hazards must be kept back from buffer zones. For instance, storage of hazardous substances must be 45 meters away; raised septic systems should be 75 meters away and solid waste land fills should be 90 meters away from all riparian buffer zones.

Functions of Buffer Zones

In the context of this Policy, buffer zones refers to created physical areas that separate two ecological systems, an ecological system from other land uses or that which border a water body.  Its functions include natural or ecological and human or socio-economic services.

Ecologically, aside contributing substantially to water availability, riparian buffer zones help to prevent soil erosion, provide cooling effect within a local climatic area, act as connecting corridors for wildlife to move safely from one habitat to the other, and serve as carbon sinks and thus help to reduce emission of green house gases (GHS) –  a major cause of global warming that contributes to climate change.

The socio-economic functions of riparian buffers include providing indigenous plants of diverse species traditionally harvested for medicines and building materials, filters impurities from water and thereby provides clean water for local communities, support the fishing industry of local communities and serve as grazing and watering areas for livestock particularly in the dry season.

Challenges

The Policy has been introduced at a time when lots of challenges confront conservation efforts. For instance, the built-up of areas within riparian zones through housing, construction and commercial activities weakens the feasibility of establishing buffer zones. The Densu Delta and now Sakumo Ramsar sites are typical examples of areas where considerations for the functioning of natural ecosystems have been discarded in favour of human activities that undermine long term livelihood sustainability.  Then, there is also the issue of the destruction of riparian vegetation closely linked with poverty and population pressure.

In this context, the Policy calls for the introduction and in some instances, the re-establishment of buffer zones, to be considered as an integral part of the general socio-economic development process, which needs equal support to make the policy implementable. 

Effective Date of the Policy

According to the Acting Executive Secretary of the Water Resources Commission, Ben Yaw Ampomah, the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy comes into effect retrospectively in December 2012, when Parliament passed it into a legal instrument.

The effective implementation of the Riparian Buffer Zone Policy will advance the attainment of the goals of water resources management related projects such as the Water Infrastructure Solutions from Ecosystem Services underpinning Climate Resilient Policies and Programmes also known as WISE – UP to Climate. It is a global partnership aimed at demonstrating that natural ecosystems or infrastructure are nature based solutions for climate change adaptation and sustainable development. The essence of the demonstration is that without healthy ecosystems in well functioning watersheds, the infrastructure built for irrigation, hydropower or water supply may not function sustainably, let alone achieve the economic returns necessary to justify investments made.

(This item has already been published in the Ghanaian Times and Public Agenda)