Water Resources Commission engages stakeholders on draft LIs

A consultative workshop has been held in Tamale to collate input on the draft Legislative Instruments (LIs) on Water Resources Pollution Prevention, and Control of Effluent Discharge and Riparian Buffer Zones Regulations.It formed part of government's efforts to formalise the artisanal and small-scale mining sector under the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (GLRSSMP), seeking to enhance governance and support sustainable artisanal small-scale mining in the country.The workshop was organised by the Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in partnership with Ayine and Partners Legal Consult and funded by the World Bank as part of a nationwide stakeholder dialogue series towards strengthening engagement in the development of the draft LIs.Stakeholders from the agricultural and mining sectors, and representatives from the Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Minerals Commission and traditional rulers from the northern sector were t he participants.Dr Bob Alfa, Acting Executive Secretary, Water Resources Commission, speaking at the workshop, said it was part of the Commission's commitment to enhance landscape restoration in terms of managing small scale mining and strengthen institutions to come out with the appropriate guidelines to safeguard water resources in the country.He was optimistic that the two LIs, when passed, would be very critical in addressing key water resources pollution and buffer degradation activities in the country.He emphasised that 'I am confident that the outcomes of the nationwide engagements will better position stakeholders to be able to plan, implement and carry out other actions that will reduce water pollution, land degradation and contribute to resilient ecosystem function within our basins.'Mr Michael Dawutey, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, GLRSSMP said the project sought to enhance integrated landscape management within the cocoa growing areas and the savannah ecological zone as well as str engthen institutions and formalise small scale mining to ensure the rightful use and preservation of land and other natural resources.He appealed to the small-scale miners, traditional authorities and other opinion leaders to support the project to protect and safeguard the environment.Mr Martin Dery, Executive Director of ProNet-North, an NGO promoting sustainable community development in the Upper West Region, said the workshop was timely and the input of stakeholders were critical in ensuring efficient and sustainable use of the buffer zones for food security and local income generation.Source: Ghana News Agency