Natural Resource Governance and Community Rights. A Case of the Akosombo Resettlement Project

Abstract

Natural resource governance simply refers to the managing the use of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on managing or governing how the identified natural resource affects the quality of life for both present and future generations of a people (Starik, 1995). In the process of managing these resources, often than not certain aspects of community interests in the natural resource are affected. In Ghana, the construction of the Akosombo Dam on the River Volta, brought about issues regarding natural resource governance and its interplay with community rights. In this instance, communities within the lower Volta Basin were resettled from their original habitation, consequent to the construction of the Akosombo Dam across the Lower Volta and a hydro-electric installation to generate cheap electricity for the country (Jackson, 1970). To this point, this study attempted to study the interplay of the governance strategy and the community rights adopting a qualitative approach using a case study approach to examine the phenomenon using the community of Agyena. The study found out that the natural resource governance processes and procedures regarding the Volta Lake is effectively enforced and it is also been proactively managed. In relation to its impact on community rights of the people in Agyena, the study concludes that the social rights, the economic rights, the cultural rights and the natural rights of the people of Agyena has been adversely affected due to prohibition and restrictions in the use of the Volta Lakes and its ancillary natural resources. The study further recommends that future studies should consider studying the phenomenon in other communities that were affected alongside the community of Agyena to see if similar results are likely to be obtained.