Abstract
The study analyses the role of Chinese companies and financing institutions and Ghanaian governmental agencies in planning and constructing the Bui Dam. The analysis focuses on the division of responsibilities between Sinohydro and China Exim Bank on the one side and the Ghanaian government on the other side. The findings show that environmental and resettlement planning for Bui was commissioned and financed by the Government of Ghana without Sinohydro’s involvement. The obligation of the firm is to abide by the environmental regulations that are monitored by the regulatory authorities. The role of Sinohydro consists in building the dam, maintaining the construction site, contracting workers, and providing for workers’ health and safety. The firm has no role in resettlement, which is carried out by the Bui Power Authority. While there is clear evidence that the Bui Power Authority does not follow the recommendations of the Resettlement Planning Framework, Sinohydro appears to abide largely by the conditions set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment study whose implementation is monitored by the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency and the Ghanaian Water Resources Commission.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Unless otherwise indicated, this historical account follows the PhD thesis of Michael Fink (Fink 2005, pp. 69–72).
- 2.
Interview A02072010.
- 3.
Interview A02072010.
- 4.
Interview A02072010.
- 5.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 6.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 7.
Interview A30062010-2.
- 8.
Interview A14072010.
- 9.
Interview A14072010 and Energy Commission (no year).
- 10.
Interview A14072010.
- 11.
Interview A14072010.
- 12.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 13.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 14.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 15.
Interview A29062010. On a related topic see also the section on resettlement below for information on the non-implementation of resettlement recommendations contained in the ESIA study and the Resettlement Planning Framework.
- 16.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 17.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 18.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 19.
Interview A24062010-3.
- 20.
Interview A24062010-2.
- 21.
Personal communication, 26 July 2010.
- 22.
Interview A24062010-3.
- 23.
Interview A21062010-3. At the time of writing (July 2010) there was a draft EIA guideline on the energy sector with specific reference to dams. The final version was said to be published before September. The draft guideline had been reviewed by the International Association for Impact Assessment. Its comments were being incorporated at the time of writing (interview A21062010-3).
- 24.
Personal communication with Ghanaian water resources engineers in July 2010.
- 25.
Personal communication with Ghanaian water resources engineers in July 2010.
- 26.
Interviews A23062010-3 and A29062010.
- 27.
Personal communication with Ghanaian water resources engineers in July 2010.
- 28.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 29.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 30.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 31.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 32.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 33.
Interviews A22062010-1 and A22062010-2.
- 34.
Interviews A22062010-1 and A22062010-2.
- 35.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 36.
Interview A21062010-3 and ERM (2007a, pp. 149–150).
- 37.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 38.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 39.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 40.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 41.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 42.
Interview A08072010.
- 43.
Interview A14072010.
- 44.
Interview J01072010-2.
- 45.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 46.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 47.
Interview A30062010-2.
- 48.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 49.
Interview A08072010.
- 50.
Interviews A22062010-1, A22062010-2 and A08072010.
- 51.
For details on issues raised by stakeholders and how they are addressed in the RPF see ERM (2007c, pp. 115–116, Table 13.1).
- 52.
Interview A08072010.
- 53.
Interview A08072010 and Interview J01072010-2.
- 54.
Interviews J01072010-3 and J01072010-2.
- 55.
Interview A08072010.
- 56.
According to the Bui Power Authority, the calculation of the monthly allowance of GH¢100.00 was based on a study of alternative livelihoods conducted by the Faculty of Human Settlement of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi (Zigah 2009, p. 29).
- 57.
Interview J01072010-2.
- 58.
Interview J01072010-2.
- 59.
Interviews J01072010-2, A22062010-2, A22062010-1 and A08072010.
- 60.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 61.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 62.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 63.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 64.
Interviews A08072010, A22062010-2 and A22062010-1.
- 65.
Interviews A22062010-2, A22062010-3, A23062010-3, A29062010, A25062010-1, W010720 10-1 and J01072010-2.
- 66.
Interview A28062010-2.
- 67.
Interview W01072010-1.
- 68.
Interviews A23062010-2 and A28062010-2.
- 69.
- 70.
- 71.
Interview A30062010-2.
- 72.
Interview A30062010-2.
- 73.
See also Ghana News Agency (2007).
- 74.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 75.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 76.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 77.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 78.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 79.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 80.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 81.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 82.
Interview A21062010-3.
- 83.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 84.
Interview A30062010-2.
- 85.
Interview A28062010-2.
- 86.
Interview A30062010-1.
- 87.
Interview A28062010-2.
- 88.
Otu-Tei (2009, p. 83; p. 103); interview J01072010-2.
References
Appiah IS (2010) Bui dam workers in slavery. http://www.modernghana.com/news/273165/1/bui-dam-workers-in-slavery.html. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Appiah-Opoku S (2001) Environmental impact assessment in developing countries: the case of Ghana. Environ Impact Assess Rev 2(1):59–71
Baah AY, Otoo KN, Ampratwurm EF (2009) Chinese investments in Ghana. In: Baah AY, Jauch H (eds) Chinese investments in Africa: a labour perspective. African Labour Research Network, Accra, pp 85–121
Benjamin C (2007) $25 m seed money for Bui city. http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?section=2&newsid=2607. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Brautigam D (2009) The dragon’s gift: the real story of China in Africa. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Bui Power Authority (2010) Bui resettlement statistics. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/resettle_main.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year a) Bui resettlement programme phase a. www.buipowerauthority.com/res_phasea.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year b) Bui resettlement programme phase b. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/res_phaseb.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year c) Project milestones and completion schedule. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/project_milestones.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year d) Project implementation. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/implement.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year e) Project time-line. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/timeline.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year f) BPA resettlement package. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/res_package.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Bui Power Authority (no year g) Project features. http://www.buipowerauthority.com/project_features.htm. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
China Exim Bank (2007) Issuance notice of the ‘guidelines for environmental and social impact assessments of the China export and import bank’s loan projects’. Beijing
Energy Commission (no year) Siting guidelines for the development of energy infrastructure facilities. Accra
Energy Comission (2006) Licensing manual for service providers in the electricity supply industry. Accra
Environmental Protection Agency (1999) Environmental assessment regulations. Accra
ERM (Environmental Resources Management) (2007a) Environmental and social impact assessment of the Bui hydropower project: final report. Accra
ERM (Environmental Resources Management) (2007b) Environmental and social impact assessment of the Bui hydropower project: final report, annex volume. Accra
ERM (Environmental Resources Management) (2007c) RPF (Resettlement planning framework) for the Bui hydropower project. Accra
Fink M (2005) Integrating the world commission on dams recommendations in large dam planning processes: the case of Bui. Ghana, Dortmund
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (2008) Bui workers asked to halt complaints. http://ghanadistricts.com/districts1on1/tain/?arrow=nws&read=16894. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Ghana News Agency (2007) Agreement on Bui dam project signed. http://mobile.ghanaweb.com/wap/article.php?ID=122740. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Ghana News Agency (2008a) Communities within Bui hydroelectric project to receive compensation. http://mobile.ghanaweb.com/wap/article.php?ID=148215. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Ghana News Agency (2008b) Bui workers are not on strike. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=154827. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Ghana News Agency (2009a) Ghana minimum wage raised by 18 per cent. http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2009/04/03/ghana-minimum-wage-raised-by-18-per-cent. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Ghana News Agency (2009b) Submit documents on Bui dam, minister orders. http://www.modernghana.com/news2/234587/1/submit-documents-on-bui-dam-minister-orders.html. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Ghana News Agency (2010) New national daily minimum wage is 3.11 cedis. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=175749. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Graham Y (1993) Not all that glitter: residents of village polluted by gold mining up in arms. West Africa Magazine 9 May 1993:736
Hall H (2009) Ghana in the balance. http://chinaafricanews.com/ghana-in-the-balance/. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
IEA (International Energy Agency) (2009) Ghana: electricity generation by fuel. http://www.iea.org/stats/pdf_graphs/GHELEC.pdf. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
IWP&DC (International Water Power & Dam Construction) (2006) Ghana balances hydro and thermal. http://waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?storyCode=2034818. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
IWP&DC (International Water Power & Dam Construction) (2008) Moving up from Akosombo. http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/news/newsmoving-up-from-akosombo. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Malgas I (2008) Energy stalemate: independent power projects and power sector reform in Ghana: management programme in infrastructure reform & regulation (MIR), Working Paper, Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town, Cape Town
Mohan G (2009) Dams, development and the nation. http://www.open2.net/blogs/society/index.php/2009/05/12/title-2?blog=10. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Mohan G, Tan-Mullins M (2009) Chinese migrants in Africa as new agents of development?: an analytical framework. Eur J Dev Res 2(4):588–605
National Development Planning Commission (2009) Draft medium-term national development policy framework: 2010-2013, appendix II. Aug 2009, version 3.0, Accra
Ofori SC (1991) Environmental impact assessment in Ghana: current administration and procedures: towards appropriate methodology. Environmentalist 11(1):45–54
Osei S (2010) Bui dam workers settle dispute with contractor. http://tain.ghanadistricts.gov.gh/?arrow=nws&read=34415. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Osei Bonsu K (2006) China assures Ghana of financial support for Bui dam project. http://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=113252. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Otu-Tei C (2009) Social and economic impacts of hydroelectric power dams: the Bui dam, Ghana. University of Central Washington, Ellensburg
Peace FM Online (2009) Bui dam in trouble. http://business.peacefmonline.com/news/200911/31794.php. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Sinohydro Bureau 8 (2009) Bui hydroelectric project, Ghana. http://www.bajuintl.com/English/Web/PicView.aspx?BMID=1006&SMID=10061&NewsID=1430. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Sutcliffe C (2009) Interviews with people to be affected by Bui dam: a field report. http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/bui_field_report.pdf. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
Volta River Authority (no year) Power activities. http://vraghana.com/our%20mandate/index.php. Accessed 25 Apr 2013
World Bank (2008) International development association program document for a proposed credit in the amount of SDR60.8 milllion (US$100 million equivalent) to the republic of Ghana for a sixth poverty reduction support credit, Washington DC
Zigah S (2009) Speech at the 1st annual meeting of dam affected communities. In: International Water Management Institute (ed) Proceedings of the 1st annual meeting of dam affected communities, Akuse, pp 25–30
Acknowledgments
The field study was made possible by the support of the following people and organisations: Cathleen Seeger and Kirsten Nyman of the Project of the GIZ “Policy Advice for Sustainable Hydropower”; Harriet Ludwig, the Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy in Accra; the GIZ Office in Accra; Liqa Raschid of the IWMI in Accra; Richard Twum of the VBDF; the following official Ghanaian institutions: the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning; the Ministry of Energy; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Energy Commission; and the Water Resources Commission.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hensengerth, O. (2014). Interaction of Chinese Institutions with Host Governments in Dam Construction: The Bui Dam in Ghana. In: Scheumann, W., Hensengerth, O. (eds) Evolution of Dam Policies. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23403-3_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23403-3_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-23402-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-23403-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)