The livelihood challenges of resettled communities of the Bui dam project in Ghana and the role of Chinese dam‐builders

Abstract

Emerging issues from the Bui hydropower project suggest that the experiences of two earlier hydropower projects in Ghana failed to prevent challenges related to resource access and livelihoods. This article examines the nature of the challenges, their causes, why they were not avoided and the role of the Chinese builders. We conducted 43 interviews and 11 focus group discussions and analyzed qualitative data by themes using narrative analysis. Our findings show that the livelihoods of the resettled communities are, on balance, negatively impacted by the construction of the dam. While Chinese dam-builders played a major role in financing and enabling the dam's construction, the Ghanaian governance arrangements were found to be more important in addressing the livelihood challenges.

Sustainable Hydroelectric Dam Management in the Context of Climate Change: Case of the Taabo Dam in Côte D’Ivoire, West Africa

“…In the context of increasing population growth and high demand for energy, this option is unrealistic in the discourse of sustainable energy development. It might, however, be a development pathway to consider in an attempt to reduce the destruction of socio-ecological systems caused by the construction and operation of energy systems in general and hydroelectric dams for that matter [19,60,61].…”

“…The sustainability index obtained when priority is given to climate indicators is shown in below Figure 9 below. construction and operation of energy systems in general and hydroelectric dams for that matter [19,60,61] In this case, priority is given to climate indicators to adapt the hydroelectric dam to the evolving trends in the climate and the risks associated, such as flooding. Thus, priority is given to trends in climate and hydrological conditions defined by SPI and SSI, respectively.…”

Resource utilization conflict in downstream non‐resettled communities of the Bui Dam in Ghana

“…The impoundment of the dam led to the displacement of about 1,216 people from seven different upstream communities. More information on the pros and cons of the Bui Dam and its socio‐economic impacts on upstream communities are reported by Urban et al (), Kirchherr et al (2016b), Obour et al (), and Yankson et al ().…”

In the Land of the Dammed: Assessing Governance in Resettlement of Ghana’s Bui Dam Project

“…The construction of the dam was undertaken by the Chinese construction company Sinohydro, while the other social and resettlement aspect of the project was handled by the Ghanaian government as with similar Sino-funded hydro-electric dam projects in other parts of the world [12,13]. In line with the practices of the World Bank and other multilateral financers, a Resettlement Planning Framework (RPF), a forerunner to a binding Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), was formulated to guide the resettlement process.…”

“…In line with the practices of the World Bank and other multilateral financers, a Resettlement Planning Framework (RPF), a forerunner to a binding Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), was formulated to guide the resettlement process. Previous studies on the Bui Dam have largely focused on the planning process, the livelihood impact from the resettlement and the role of the funding sources [11,[13][14][15][16][17]. Although these studies show that the resettlement planning process and the Resettlement Planning Framework adhered to good governance principles, little is known about how much of good governance principles were applied during the compulsory land acquisition and resettlement process [14,17,18].…”