Toward good governance in water resources management in Ghana

In the global water policy literature, integrating governance principles into water resources management is projected as the best approach to overcome the crisis in water resources management. Therefore, since 1990, many countries, including Ghana, have introduced various changes in their water sector to encourage good governance in the management of the resource. Using interviews and a review of policy and regulatory documents, this study examines recent changes in the water sector in Ghana to identify challenges for good governance in water resources management. The results suggest that the introduction of a new institutional framework and several regulatory mechanisms, including policies, rules, regulations, and laws, has decentralized water management system, increased stakeholder participation, granted voice to marginalized stakeholders, and brought government and communities together in the decision-making process. However, the results further reveal that several challenges, including institutional barriers, exclusion or underrepresentation of key stakeholders, corruption, multisectoral conflict, collaboration preferences, and others continue to frustrate good governance in water resources management. Deliberately committing to the principles of good governance, amending ineffective regulatory mechanisms, and adequately resourcing regulatory institutions can help avoid many of the challenges in the water sector and propel the country toward sustainable water resources management.