ID: 1836
Presenting Author: Kwabena Kwakye Mamphey
Session: 758 - Reframing Impact Assessment Narratives in Africa: Combating Misinformation, Power Asymmetries, and Distrust in Development
Status: pending
Using Impact Assessment as a trust-building tool, this presentation shows how transparent engagement turns community resistance into acceptance and shared ownership of development projects.
Across Africa, some development projects often face strong community opposition, particularly those perceived as environmentally risky or socially disruptive. Misinformation, distrust, and poor communication frequently amplify these fears, undermining otherwise beneficial initiatives.
This presentation explores how Impact Assessment (IA) can serve as a strategic tool for transforming public resistance into informed acceptance and social license. Drawing on experiences from multiple projects in sectors such as waste management, infrastructure, and industry in Ghana, it highlights how transparent, participatory, and culturally sensitive engagement helps counter misinformation and build credibility.
The presentation reflects on what practitioners did right, placing empathy, clarity, and dialogue at the heart of the assessment process. It also shows that when IA is framed as a trust-building exercise rather than a compliance activity, it becomes a vehicle for inclusive participation, shared ownership, and social legitimacy in Africa’s development landscape.
Kwabena Kwakye Mamphey is an Environmental Consultant with over five years of experience in environmental and social assessment, and project management across multiple sectors.