Wiesi: A solar-powered mechanised water system has been inaugurated in Wiesi, a farming community in the Builsa district, to address water scarcity and foster peaceful coexistence between local residents and transhumant herders. The facility, valued at approximately GHS350,000, is part of the Peaceful Cross-Border Pastoral Mobility and Social Stability in the Sahel (MOPSS) Phase II project, which runs from 2023 to 2026. The project is implemented by the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and its consortium partners with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
According to Ghana News Agency, the consortium partners include the Maroob© Billital Network (RBM), the Association for the Promotion of Livestock in the Sahel and Savannah (APESS), the Network of Farmers' and Producers' Organisations of West Africa (ROPPA), Rural Hub, and CARE Denmark. The commissioning is part of MOPSS' broader efforts to promote peaceful co-existence, inclusive natural resource management, and livelihood resilience among pastoralist and farming communities across northern Ghana, thereby reducing conflicts over water resources.
The MOPSS project is a regional initiative being implemented in seven West African countries, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, and C´te d'Ivoire. Its aim is to strengthen social stability and improve cross-border pastoral mobility and the inclusive local economy. At the commissioning ceremony in Wiesi, Mr. Amadi Coulibaly, the MOPSS Project Manager at SNV, highlighted that the mechanised borehole represents more than just access to clean water. It symbolizes hope, inclusion, and collaboration, demonstrating the positive outcomes possible when communities, local authorities, and development partners collaborate with a shared vision.
Mr. Coulibaly expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Denmark for their generous support and partnership through DANIDA. He encouraged the Builsa South District Assembly and the beneficiaries to take full ownership of the facility to ensure proper maintenance and equitable access. He reiterated SNV's commitment to working with the Government of Ghana, local authorities, and communities to strengthen livelihoods, promote peace, and build climate-resilient systems.
The solar-powered water system features a high-yield borehole and a 5,000-litre capacity overhead tank, designed to provide a reliable water supply throughout the year for both human and livestock needs. It includes separate sections with multiple fetching points and drinking troughs, with different taps for fetching water, and four watering troughs-three for cattle and one for small ruminants such as goats and sheep.
To ensure long-term sustainability, a Borehole Management Committee (BMC) has been established and trained to oversee maintenance, cost recovery, and equitable access. The BMC consists of representatives from traditional authorities, pastoralists, farmers, agricultural officers, women, and youth. Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Ganiyu Shitu, Technical Advisor on the MOPSS project at SNV, emphasized that the design ensures people and livestock do not interfere with each other, promoting hygiene and reducing potential conflict sources.
Imam Hanafi Sonde, National President of the Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers, praised the choice of Wiesi due to its location along a major livestock movement corridor and its hosting of several pastoralists from Burkina Faso and other neighboring countries. He urged the government to invest in similar projects to reduce farmer-herder conflicts in farming communities.
Madam Anne Musah, the Builsa South District Chief Executive, commended the MOPSS consortium and their sponsors for investing in water, a significant challenge in the area, noting that it would help reduce community tension over water access. Nab Akanaab Apoom-Ween, the Chief of Wiesi Community, expressed gratitude for the gesture, stating that the water system would strengthen unity and social cohesion between residents and pastoralists for shared development.