Towards Sustainable Groundwater Management in the South-Western Part of the Chad Basin, Nigeria: A Stakeholder Perspective

Abstract

This study evaluates current groundwater management problems in the chad basin and applies the transition management concept that allows stakeholder participation in addressing persistent problems of groundwater management. This has been achieved by carrying out stakeholder analysis; where a total of 5 stakeholder groups consisting of 15 organisations which includes government agencies, water user groups (local residents), civil society organisations, an NGO, and a research institution were identified and engaged via interviews and focus group discussions between April and June 2013. Interview and focus group results showed that most strategic stakeholders interviewed were knowledgeable on the issues related to groundwater contamination, while the focus group participants are having limited knowledge about the issue. Also, concerns about groundwater contamination were high among the interviewees and extremely low among the focus group participants. Presently, none of the stakeholder categories was affected by problems of groundwater contamination. Overall, interviewees and participants proffered options such as provision of adequate legislations, stakeholder inclusion/community participation in water management and the increase in investment in the water and sanitation sector as the most viable options of achieving sustainable groundwater management. The outcome of this study will be useful to water managers, policy and decision makers in implementing sustainable groundwater management strategy.