Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) - An Analytical Tool in the Prioritization of Water Resources Management Problems in Ghana

The rapid impact assessment (RIAM), which was developed in Denmark, is a new tool for the execution of environmental impact assessments. RIAM is quite flexible, transparent and leaves a permanent record, which can be independently checked, validated or updated. RIAM has successfully been used to prioritize water resources management problems in Ghana in the order of which problems call for the most urgent attention. The priority list was easily validated and accepted to be the true reflection of the situation at a national workshop in which experts and representatives from water agencies, donor agencies, university faculties and departments, research institutes, private institutions and organizations including Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) participated. The study has shown that RIAM, which can also be used in a developing country like Ghana, is a very useful tool in such prioritization process as has been applied in this exercise.