Bui Dam

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The Bui Dam is a 400 megawatt hydro-electric project currently being built at the Bui Gorge at the southern end of Bui National Park in Ghana. The project is a collaboration between the government of Ghana and Sino Hydro, a Chinese construction company.

It will be the third major dam in the area. It would flood nearly a quarter of the Bui National Park. It would also completely destroy habitats for the rare Black Hippopotamus. The dam would affect a large number of the native wildlife species, forcibly resettle about 2,600 people and affect thousands more. (IRN 2001) (UNEP 1999)

The Bui National Park in the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana is in the center-west of the country, Côte d'Ivoire, and is bisected by the Black Volta River. The vegetation is predominantly savanna woodland, with areas of grassland and patches of forest along the Black Volta River and other small rivers in the park. These riparian forests are the best-preserved forests remaining along the Black Volta and, probably, the only such forest left in the entire Volta system. The Black Volta River feeds directly into Lake Volta. The Black Volta River is a tributary in the Volta River system. (IRN 2001)

The dam has been temporarily shelved after a public statement in October 2001 by the government announcing that Bui Dam was not the least–cost option and could not meet immediate energy needs. In recent years, Ghana has been plagued by power rationing because of its dependence on large hydro projects. (IRN 2001) Nonetheless in January 2005, the Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission in Ghana called on the government to revisit the Bui Dam project. The reason being was to increase Ghana’s self–sufficiency and stop high tariffs. (IRN 2001)

The Bui hydro-electric dam has been on the drawing board since the 1960s. Successive governments have not been able to implement it due to the huge costs involved. Prof Mike Ocquaye, Ghana’s minister of energy and communications, said the Chinese construction company named Sino-Hydro is very keen in helping Ghana to realize the project. The energy minister states that 1.5m dollars is being spent on the environmental impact assessment of the project. Prof Ocquaye said the government is also working feverishly to secure 5m euros from Spain towards the utilization of the solar energy in the Northern Region. He continued that his ministry had signed an agreement with UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) for wind energy generation in the Lower Volta Basin of the Volta Region. Professor Mike Ocquaye, announced that the government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sino-Hydro of China towards the construction of the Bui Dam. He was speaking at the commissioning of the 250m-cedi [about 28,000 US dollars] streetlight project at Kukuom in the Asunafo South District of Brong Ahafo. The minister said details of the contract for the project are being finalized for work to begin. (BBC 2005)

The Bui National Park will be facing major sustainability issues when the new development of the Bui Dam takes place. A greater part of the 1800km national park with all its spectacular landscape, treasures and diversity of species will be submerged underwater forever. Most disturbing is the fate of the only two populations of black hippopotamus who -- according to local residents and park wardens -- number about 140-150 in the whole park. (IRN 2001)

The reservoir of the projected dam would flood a large area of the Bui National Park, flooding the last remaining habitats for hippos in Ghana, home to at least 300 hippopotami and many other species (WRM 2001). “Contrary to widely held beliefs by the dam proponents that the hippos and the other endangered species in the park will be relocated when construction of the dam begins," argues an anonymous submission to the World Commission on Dams (WCD), "conservationists interviewed contend that the hippos in particular cannot survive anywhere outside the Bui national park due to its unique nature. Moreover the country's game and wildlife department is even too broke to afford the cost involved in rescuing the animals at Bui and sending them to the supposed “safe havens.” (WRM 2001) (WRM 2006) (UNEP 1999)

Dams constitute a major direct and indirect cause of nature destruction and disruption of local population's lives worldwide (WRM 2001). Even though international concern on this issue is on the rise, national governments, together with transnational consulting and construction firms and with the aid of international financial institutions continue going ahead with these kinds of mega-projects. Often they are usually surrounded by corruption and almost always result in widespread human rights violations against local communities. (WRM 2001)

The government of Ghana and Sino Hydro, a Chinese construction company, has signed a memorandum of understanding and a 500 million-dollar agreement to undertake the construction of the Bui Dam. Two million dollars are earmarked for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) bound to prepare the ground for the take-off of the project, which has been on the drawing board for decades. Despite the environmental disaster wrought by the World Bank's Akosombo Dam in Ghana and its failure to live up to power generating expectations, the new dam project has been restarted with the intention of eluding the increasing cost of running thermal plants with crude oil. (WRM 2001)

The Bui dam project would require the forced relocation of over 2,500 people and will also set in motion other serious environmental impacts, such as changing the flow regime of the river which will harm downstream habitats. A recent survey by the University of Aberdeen has revealed that the Black Volta River abounds with 46 species of fish from 17 families, all of economic importance. These native fish communities could be severely impacted by changes to water temperature, pollution and barriers that will block their migration along the Black Volta. Forests that serve as fish spawning grounds would also be destroyed. Waterborne disease could also occur should the dam proceed, say critics. Schistosomiasis in particular could become established in the reservoir, with severe health risks for local people. (WRM 2006)

The region has been subject to displacement and epidemics in the past. In 1965, 80,000 farmers were displaced due to the construction of the Akosombo Dam, which at the time flooded more land than any other hydro project, approximately 8,500 square km. This led to outbreaks of malaria, bilharzias, and other water-borne diseases. Between 1978 and 1981, the Kpong dam displaced 6,000 people, causing resettlement conflicts allegedly worse than what was experienced previously. (WRM 2006)

There are concerns about the practicalities of a hydro-electric dam on a river that is said to be highly seasonal. Ghanaians may end up paying a high price for electricity. (WRM 2006)

[edit] References

  • [UNEP] United Nations Environment Program. 1999. Global 500 Forum. Courting Mega-disaster: Bui Dam May Cause Havoc Stories. <http://www.global500.org/feature _4.html>