Abstract:
This study assessed indigenous knowledge in water resource management
in the upper Tano River basin of Ghana. Despite the effort of formal water
resource management institutions, human activities along the Tano river
continued to put the Tano basin in danger hence the need to find other vital means
to help in managing the basin.Respondents for the study were chiefs, elders, some
selected community members in five riparian communities along the Tano River
and the Tano basin secretariat officer among other stakeholders who were
involved in the management of the river. Purposive and snow ball sampling
techniques were used. Data from the study was analysed manually by transcribing
recorded data; organising it into themes where discussions were done under each
theme and supporting discussions with pictures, where relevant. The results of the
study revealed that, River Tano takes its source from the Tano sacred grove in
Tanoboase near Techiman. It was also found out that, deities were mounted along
the river in the upper basin and this was manned by sub chiefs and their court of
servers to ensure that the use of the river wasregulated. Indigenous knowledge
included holding the river as sacred god hence prohibiting people from fishing in
it. It was further established that, indigenous institutions faced several challenges
such as non-existing bye-laws or legislative instrument to support the enforcement
of indigenous knowledge. It is thus recommended that, bye-laws are enacted by
the Water Resource Commission basin secretariat together with MMDAs and
other formal institutions to assist with the enforcement of indigenous knowledge
since it can help significantly in the management of the water resource.
