The objective of the project to develop the capacities of people of Golinga to adopt and utilize appropriate, low-cost, and affordable technology in the provision of potable water supply and to adopt sustainable water management systems.

3.4 Project Rationale

The project has been designed to ensure the critical role of local communities in the provision of potable water, natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation in the Golinga. However, the success and long-term sustainability of conservation initiatives depend on support and acceptance of such interventions by the local communities. It is also clear that local people will only support conservation initiatives if they see concrete benefits and improvements to the quality of their lives.

The major weaknesses associated with the past supply of water can be attributed to internal lapses within the Ghana Water Company. Actions were either not taken when required or prescribed actions were at variance with planned objectives in many instances. Specific cases that can be mentioned are non-review of management plans even though a review was required at the end of every five years. Management did not also adhere to prescriptions made in the plan and therefore working circles meant for protection for instance were cut at some point. This is also an illustration of over-emphasis on timber at the neglect of other forest benefits. Another problem was the granting of too many short-term exploitation rights to timber contractors. This might have opened up the forest to illegal timber harvesting activities that still persist. Today the open-access nature of the forest undermines forest protection and even investments.

Ghana has adopted a Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), which represents comprehensive policies to support growth and poverty reduction in the county. Under the strategy, the government intends to create wealth by transforming the structure of the national economy to achieve growth, accelerated poverty reduction and the protection of the vulnerable and excluded within a decentralized, democratic environment. The GPRS focuses on providing the enabling environment that will empower all Ghanaians to participate in wealth creation and to partake in the wealth created.

This project aims at supporting the strategic initiatives to support the GPRS by:
? Improving governance in the public sector such as participation, transparency, and accountability in water management.
? Improving the community voice in the supply of potable water.

Global Environment Benefits

The proposed project would result in multiple global, national, and local environment benefits, within the context of sustainable development. These benefits would include: (a) conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity; (b) prevention and/or control of pollution of major river systems from illegal activities and domestic waste; (c) prevention and/or control of degradation of watersheds through unsustainable land use practices; (f) rise in community awareness levels in environmental management and conservation

3.5 PROJECT OUTPUTS/RESULTS

1. Capacity of community water and sanitation committee formed, trained, and empowered to manage water systems and conservation water bodies.

2. Two hand-dug wells fitted with pumps and locally made filters constructed to supply potable water all year round to serve 1,500 rural poor people.

3. 30 ha of riverine natural forest created to protect the spring/stream.

4.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES.

OUTPUT 1 Capacity of community water and sanitation committee formed, trained, and empowered to manage water systems and conservation water bodies

Planned Activities:

1.1 Organize series of community education and awareness on water, issues of health and hygiene, and environmental stewardship.
1.2 Form and train community water and Sanitation Committee
1.3 Organise special technical training for Community Water and Sanitation Committee in the operation and maintenance of water supply infrastructure, resource use, book-keeping and accounting, conflict identification, and management.
1.4 Facilitate health certification of water managers and provide them with basic working gears.
1.5 Train and empower the committees to collect, bank and manage water-user fees.
1.6 Train and assist farmers to compost household waste for vegetable farming.
1.7 Train the community members in water quality monitoring.

OUTPUT 2 Two hand-dug wells fitted with pumps and locally made filters constructed to supply potable water all year round to serve 1,500 rural poor people

Planned Activities

2.1 Mobilize local community members to construct two hand-dug wells
2.2 Mobilize community members to construct water pumping, treatment and storage house
2.3 Supply water storage and treatment facilities
2.4 Supply water pipes and other accessories.
2.5 Provide electrical accessories to pump water
2.6 Conduct clinical analysis of water before and after treatment

OUTPUT 3: 30 ha of riverine natural forest created to protect the spring/stream

The objectives for establishing the riverine forest is to:
i. Reforest degraded riverine forest for protection of the stream and biodiversity conservation,
ii. Conserve water to recharge the wells.

Planned Activities

3.1 Hold meetings with all landowner fringing the stream.
3.2 Develop and sign memorandum of understanding to conserve 3 meters on each side of the stream according to the traditional laws of the lands.
3.3 Mobilise the community to replant the reserved areas with bamboo and indigenous species using seedling from the community nursery.