TY - JOUR

T1 - In the Land of the Dammed: Assessing Governance in Resettlement of Ghana's Bui Dam Project

AU - Asiama, Kwabena

AU - Lengoiboni, Monica

AU - van der Molen, Paul

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2017 by the authors. Copyright: Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2017/11

Y1 - 2017/11

N2 - Resettlement resulting from dam construction has raised several concerns due to the negative aftermath impacts. In Ghana, the construction of three hydroelectric dams resulted in large-scale resettlements. Given the little experience that Ghana has in resettlements, it is necessary for a robust monitoring structure for resettlements. However, this was not available in the last resettlement undertaken for the Bui Dam Project. This paper aims at developing an assessment framework for monitoring resettlement activities on customary lands from a good governance perspective. Based on four good governance principles, transparency, public participation and inclusiveness, equity and rule of law and accountability, a good governance assessment framework is built and applied to the Bui Dam Project using a case study approach. Data were collected throughinterviews and focus group discussion with the key actors of the resettlement project. It was first found that the planning stage of the resettlement came out with a robust plan that was to prevent the impoverishment of the affected persons. However, in the implementation of the resettlement, not all good governance principles were adhered to. In conclusion, it was found that by deconstructing the resettlement process with a good governance framework, the problematic areas of the resettlement can be effectively differentiated between the planning and implementation phases.

AB - Resettlement resulting from dam construction has raised several concerns due to the negative aftermath impacts. In Ghana, the construction of three hydroelectric dams resulted in large-scale resettlements. Given the little experience that Ghana has in resettlements, it is necessary for a robust monitoring structure for resettlements. However, this was not available in the last resettlement undertaken for the Bui Dam Project. This paper aims at developing an assessment framework for monitoring resettlement activities on customary lands from a good governance perspective. Based on four good governance principles, transparency, public participation and inclusiveness, equity and rule of law and accountability, a good governance assessment framework is built and applied to the Bui Dam Project using a case study approach. Data were collected throughinterviews and focus group discussion with the key actors of the resettlement project. It was first found that the planning stage of the resettlement came out with a robust plan that was to prevent the impoverishment of the affected persons. However, in the implementation of the resettlement, not all good governance principles were adhered to. In conclusion, it was found that by deconstructing the resettlement process with a good governance framework, the problematic areas of the resettlement can be effectively differentiated between the planning and implementation phases.

KW - Compulsory land acquisition

KW - Customary lands

KW - Dam construction

KW - Governance

KW - Resettlement

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044751118&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/land6040080

DO - 10.3390/land6040080

M3 - Article

VL - 6

JO - Land

JF - Land

IS - 4

M1 - 80

ER -