PhD Thesis Emmanuel Obeng Bekoe - Cranfield University

Emmanuel Obeng Bekoe Phd Thesis Chapter 1 Background and Problem
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for livelihood and water as a resource (GWP/TAC, 2000). This
interdependence of water necessitates integration of the natural system
between land and water use; between surface water and groundwater; between
water quantity and quality; between the freshwater system and coastal waters
and between upstream and downstream on one hand and, on the other hand,
integration in our management of the natural system and calls for Integrated
Water Resources Management (IWRM) (GWP/TAC, 2000) where:
• mainstreaming water in the national economy is important
• ensuring co-ordination between sectors
• ensuring partnership between public and private sector management and
• involving everybody.
IWRM is defined by GWP/TAC (2000) as a “process which promotes the
coordinated development and management of water, land and related
resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an
equitable manner without compromising the sustainability”.
Following from above, four principles (Figure 1.3), which became issues of
great concern during the Rio Agenda 21 meeting, culminated in a new paradigm
i.e. “from sub-sectoral to cross-sectoral water management” (GWP/TAC, 2000)
and gave rise to what constituted the ‘enabling environment’ for water resources
management (GWP/TAC, 2000). This enabling environment according to
GWP/TAC should be government acting as an enabler rather than a top-down
manager where the roles of Government should be to:
• formulate national water policies
• enact water resources legislation
• ensure separation of regulating and service provision functions
• encourage and regulate the private sector
• encourage dialogue with neighbouring countries (50% of all land lies in
shared river basins)