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Local experts yesterday met with the ECOWAS Commission to fine-tune proposals on how to manage selected river basins in four West African countries.

The countries are Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali which share the Comoe, Bia and Tano rivers.

The proposal provides guidelines for the establishment of an international transboundary governing authority for the Comoe-Bia-Tano Basin.

The objective is to promote international cooperation among riparian states (countries bordering a basin) for economic and sustainable development.

The proposed document was compiled by the Water Resources Coordinating Centre of ECOWAS, based on a feasibility study it undertook.

ECOWAS 

The Regional Programmes Officer of ECOWAS/Water Resources Coordinating Council, Mr Mahamare Dedeou Toure, said the commission would not impose any decision on the four countries but would remain a facilitator of the process.

He said even though West Africa covered less than a quarter of the surface area of the African continent, it had 25 out of 60 transboundary river basins on the continent. The officer added that with the exception of the Cape Verde, each country in the region shared at least a river with one of its neighbours.

Minister

The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Collins Dauda, commended the ECOWAS Commission for facilitating a concerted management of water resources in the sub-region.

That, he said, would help build understanding and cooperation in the quest to improve the water sectors of all riparian countries.

According to him, the transboundary water management process was explicitly articulated in Ghana’s national water policy.

He said the policy identified three areas of national interest that would enhance cooperation on transboundary management for the enhancement of socio-economic development.