Protecting the rights of people displaced by dams: an assessment of the development of Ghana's Bui Dam

Abstract

For over a half century now, large-scale dams and other large infrastructure projects have been pursued to advance the socioeconomic transformation of various countries and regions. However, adverse effects sometimes arise through the execution of the projects including the violations of the rights of affected communities and persons as a result of development-induced displacement and resettlement activities. One of the theoretical approaches that advocate for processes that lead to positive outcomes in the implementation of such development projects is the rights-based approach. Using primary data from Ghana's Bui Dam Project, the perceptions and views of the displaced people, their leaders, the dam managers and other relevant stakeholders are analysed with the view to unmasking the extent to which the rights of the displaced people were safeguarded and promoted throughout the project cycle. While the paper reveals that some positive outcomes have been attained in the Bui Dam Project, more favourable outcomes would have been realised if international covenants relating to the rights of infrastructure-affected-people were mainstreamed into local legal frameworks instead of heavily relying on best practice standards which are only hortatory and prescriptive.