Organisational Structure of the Assembly
The District Assembly is organized as enacted by the Legislative Instrument (L.I 1961) and the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act, 936). The General Assembly is the Highest Decision-Making Body of the Assembly and is made up 28 Elected Members representing Electoral Areas and 12 Government Appointees with 38 males and 2 females. In addition to the District Chief Executive and the Member of Parliament for the Akatsi South Constituency but without Voting Rights. The Assembly has two main Committees- Executive Committee and Public Relations and Complains Committee headed by the District Chief Executive and the Presiding Member respectively. The Executive Committee has Five Statutory Sub-committees including: Development Planning, Social Services, Works, Justice and Security and Finance and Administration Sub-Committees. The assembly has One Town council and three Area Councils.
The Administrative Function of the Assembly is done by the Central Administration and other Departments working under the supervision of the District Coordinating Director.
Human Resources Capacity of the Assembly
The Akatsi South District Assembly has total staff strength of 94 made up of 65 males and 29 females. Of this 10 are Heads of Departments who coordinate the implementation of plans and programs under their Departments. 10 of the Heads of Departments at post currently are males while the other Head of Departments is female. The Management of the Central Administration Department which provides administrative, support and secretarial services to the Assembly and other Departments is made up of the Chief Executive, Coordinating Director and Heads of Units of the Central Administration. Among the Management Staff, only one person is a female.
All the Heads of Departments and Units of the Assembly are in the Professional Classes of the Local Government Service and hold a minimum of First Degree in their respective field of studies. A good number also hold Masters Degrees. The head of the Agricultural department holds a PHD.
Infrastructure and Facilities
The main block of the Assembly and its Departments are located in Akatsi. However, department as Business Advisory Centre, Environmental Health Unit, Health, Education are located at distant places with different location within the town.
The Offices of the Area Councils are in the Area Council Capitals located at Akatsi, Gefia, Avenorpeme, and Wute.
Establishment, Location and Size
The Akatsi South District was established by a Legislative Instrument (L. I.) 2165 in March 15, 2012. It has its capital situated in Akatsi and is located between latitudes 60S 70N and longitudes 00W 10E. It shares boundaries with Keta Municipal Assembly to the South, Ketu North to the East, to the West by South and Central Tongu Districts and to the North by Akatsi North and Agortime-Ziope Districts. Its total land area is about 536 square kilometers.
Topography and Drainage
The topography of the District generally is undulating with a general elevation of the land averaging 10-50 meters above sea level, and a peculiar coastal savannah soil, ground water laterite and tropical black earth. The district is a low-lying coastal plain with flatland in the south and rolling plain to the north. About 60% of the total land area lies below 100 feet contour line and rising to cover over 200 feet in the northern parts.
Rivers, such as Tordzi, Agblegborloe, Wowoe, Lotor and Kutoe, drain the district. The first three empty their waters into the Keta and Avu lagoons. Some of these are dammed for irrigation during dry season especially the Torve dam.
Nearly all the rivers and streams in the district dry up during the dry season usually December-March. This inhibits farming activities greatly; especially in the area where clay deposits are known to exist. The Tordzie River is the main drainage feature, with Agblegborloe, Wowoe, Lotor and Kelo streams. All these drainage features have a north – south trend and all except Tordzie are seasonal.
Vegetation
The vegetation of the District is made up of guinea savannah woodland at the north while mangrove swamp characterized the south. The black berry (velvet tamarine) locally called “atitoeti” and Baobab tree are important economic trees that can be found in most parts of the areas surrounding the southern part of the district. In the far northwest, around the Avu lagoon and its creeks are large track of reed locally known as “Keti” which is used in weaving mats. A physical potential of the district is the vast savannah grassland, ideal for irrigated mechanized farming and livestock grazing. Some of the fauna of the district presently comprises:
1. Rodents’ e.g. giant rat, field mice, grass cutter etc.
2. Reptiles e.g. grass snake, cobra,
3. Birds e.g. store partridges etc.
These are good potentials for eco-tourism development.
Temperature
The District falls within the coastal savannah equatorial climatic regime characterized by high temperatures (min: 21o C max: 34.5o C), high relative humidity (85%) and moderate to low rainfall regime (1,084 mm) with distinct wet and dry seasons of about equal lengths.
Temperatures are high and constant throughout the year with mean annual figures not varying much from 27o C. February, March and April, have the highest mean monthly maxima of about 34o C. The lowest average monthly temperatures occur before, during and just after the major wet season in July, August and September with values of mean monthly maximum falling to around 30o C.
Rainfall
The district experiences two rainfall maxima in a year. This provides opportunity for two seasons cropping. The major dry season begins in November and extends through to March during which only occasional rains are experienced. During the early part of the major dry season, the harmattan winds from the Sahara regions blow across the area, which dry up remaining water in streams and ponds and expose the vegetation to bush fires.
Great variability exists in the annual and monthly total amounts of rainfall and between the onsets of rains from year to year. These uncertainties in the rainfall pattern and the long severe dry seasons are the controlling factor affecting the agricultural activities of the local people.
Relative humidity figures in general are high and over 76% during the nights and early morning with mean monthly figures for the wet periods nearing 100%. Thus giving rise to high incidence of fungal diseases in crops and high post-harvest losses especially in cereals and vegetables.
Geology and Minerals Composition
The district falls within three geological formations. These are acidic gneiss belt, forming 70% of the land area, tertiary sand with 25% and basimorphic acidic gneiss forming about 5%. The acidic belt consists mainly of layered coarse to fine grained muscovite biotite, schists and containing numerous quartz veins. There are outcrops of negivine, augite and syenite either as inselberg or shallow exposed surface all over this geological formation.
Three main soil types characterize the District. The South-eastern portion is characterized by tertiary sands which are moderate to well-drained, deep red to brown loamy sand to sandy loam topsoil over course sandy loam to clay loam sub-soils. These soils are suitable for the cultivation of all arable crops.
Within this dominant soil can be found in the valley bottoms and depressions, poorly drained and plastic glecal clays, suitable for commercial sugarcane production as well as for ceramic and pottery industry.
The north-western to the northern part is characterized by Acidic Gneiss which is moderately drained, deep, sandy soil with either sandy or sandy clay subsoil suitable for root and tuber crops as well as cereals and legumes. The middle portion is characterized by Acidic Gneiss parent material found in convex and broad low-lying ridges with outcrops which are moderately drained, shallow to bedrock sandy topsoil under lain with sandy clay subsoil and coarse clay.
Mining and Quarrying
The development outlook in the Akatsi South District is to promote and market the potentials of clay deposits to would-be investors in the Brick and Tile Industry in order to create jobs in the communities. A vast stretch of clay deposits exists in Suipe and Wute. Feasibility studies conducted by geological survey department estimated the deposit at Suipe to be 6.8 million tones which could be exploited for over 130 years. At Wute, the clay deposit is estimated to be 9.7 million tones with an estimated commercial exploitable life span of 150 to 200 years. There are three major quarry sites in the District namely- Gornikope Atsiekpui and Ashiagborvi
Implications for Development
The physical and natural environment of the Akatsi South District contain a basket of potentials that can be tapped for the socio-economic development of the area.
In terms of topography and drainage, the vast expanse of flat land is a potential for large scale mechanized farming. Road construction and other activities will also be relatively less costly.
The water resources in the district could also be harnessed for irrigation purposes, especially for rice and sugar cane cultivation and dry season gardening aside its current use for the supply of potable water for some communities in the district. The high intensity of the sun in the area can also provide abundant solar energy, apart from its current use by farmers for preservation and storage purposes.
The soils, vegetation and climate of the district constitute suitable ecological conditions for both arable farming and livestock rearing. However, the excessive rainfall experienced sometimes could cause flooding, rendering feeder roads unmotorable and destruction of farms, lives and properties.
The large deposit of clay can also be tapped into the production of ceramic tiles and other items to transform the rural economy through the creation of jobs along its value chain to improve income of rural dwellers and minimize the intensity of poverty that characterized some of the rural communities.
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Green Economy and Environment in General
This part of the Profile presents an Analysis of biodiversity/natural capital, climate change/low carbon and environment in the District which indicates risks/challenges and opportunities inherent in them and their implication for the medium to long-term development of the District.
Biodiversity
The Biodiversity of the District is characterized by the various Plants and Animal Species operating in diverse ecosystems. There is a protected area named Avu Lagoon Crema ecotourism project located at the Southern part of the District with portions located within Akatsi, Anloga and Dabala. The crema serves as a natural habitat for most animals including the famous endangered species of Sitatunga also some wild species of plants can be found within the lagoon area. Natural resource exploitation within the protected area are closely monitored since the communities located close to the area depend on the lagoon and the forest as their source of livelihood. This is done to prevent the distraction of the protected area which has the potential of changing the natural ecosystem. The Xavi bird watching project has also suffered a major setback since the migratory birds and other endangered birds are hardly visiting the location now than it used to be in the past because the natural ecosystem has been tempered with due to the activities of farming.
Climate Change
The Climate of the District is gradually becoming less predictable. The rainfall pattern has also become less predictable. The District used to experience two major rainy seasons but the major season is now characterized by heavy rains leading to major crop loss through flooding and the minor is also characterized by little rain that can’t support crop growth with prolonged drought. Average annual temperature in recent years is also slightly higher which can lead to possible emergence of new disease vectors in some areas.
These climatic changes are affecting economic activities of the District such as harvest failures from improper adaptive strategies, increased land degradation and loss of cropable land and reduction in the size and nutrition of livestock. Another aspect of water related climate hazard is flooding.
Green Economy and Environment in General
Green Economy is defined as one that results in improved wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. With increased volatility in prices and supplies of energy, Climate variability and environmental challenges, growing unsustainability of development on the basis of the current growth paradigm, calls for the need for sustainable development approaches and greening the economy have become more important.
External and internal changes to the environment must be given the needed attention since it has both economic and social cost which if overlook would have adverse effect on future generation. Environmental degradation can cause economic costs such as air pollution, water pollution, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
The phenomenon of environmental degradation is now a serious problem in the District. Besides, the employment of improper methods of farming which exposed the soils to erosion, people have continued to harvest forest resources indiscriminately thus degrading the environment. The establishment of two saw mills in the vicinity of Akatsi has increased the commercialization of timber resources without the commensurate regeneration of the forest through tree planting. These activities are therefore causing the rapid disappearance of the forest vegetation.
Economic Potentials
The availability of vast land of mangrove swamp in the locality can be a support for large scale commercial rice cultivation. Currently, rice is cultivated by peasant farmers on small commercial basis-Torve and Tseikpi areas are noted for rice cultivation
The relatively fertile soils can be utilized for the establishment of large scale plantations of oil palm, citrus and mango to support rural industrialization.
Similarly, food crops such as cassava and maize can be cultivated also to form the basis of rural industries.
The numerous eco-tourism attractions could be harnessed and marketed to generate substantial revenue for the locality. Presently only very few of these attractions are visited by tourists.
In order to ensure that our rivers remain perennial, the District needs to embark upon an extensive programme of protecting water-sheds and water-resources of the District through extensive tree planting. The rampant and widespread degradation of the vegetation naturally calls for programmes that will ensure the sustainable management of natural resources through the implementation of bio-diversity programmes.
Water Security
Access to portable Water
The major sources of water used by households in the District are pipe schemes, boreholes, rain water, rivers, hand-dug wells, dams and dugouts. The largest proportion of households (18.0%) gets their main source of drinking water from boreholes/pumps/tube well. There are other notable sources including pipe-borne outside the dwelling (11.1%), public tap/standpipe (11.4%), harvested rain water (6.0%), and protected wells (0.1%). Only 2.6 percent of households have pipe-borne water inside dwelling. However, the use of unprotected well (7.3%),
unprotected spring (0.4%), dugout/pond/lake/dam/canal (13.2%) or river/stream (17.4%) collectively recorded 38.3 percent in the district. The proportions for these four sources are 52.9 percent and 9.7 percent of the rural and urban localities respectively. The proportions who use harvested rain water are 13.2% percent and 2.3 percent of urban and rural localities respectively. Additionally, greater proportions of households (13.2%) use dugout/pond/lake/dam/canal for other domestic purposes.
In a bid to improve upon people’s access to potable water, the Assembly has collaborated with a number of development partners in the provision of potable water in the District. These are Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), DANIDA, LIFETIME WELLS, TRIPLE-S and IRC among others. Community ownership and management is also being promoted to enhance the sustainability of existing water facilities. Communities that have benefited from some form of water infrastructure, especially boreholes are being trained and provided with basic tools and equipment to undertake regular servicing and maintenance of water facilities with funding by IRC who trained Area Mechanics in post construction support to close the accessibility gap in rural water delivery. The District mainly depends on the Small-Town limited Water System currently managed by the CWSA. The system in the past has suffered major setbacks such as non-payment of electricity bills, frequent breakdown of equipment, drought hence resulting in water rationing and the inability for the system to be expanded to new communities.
Natural and Man-made Disasters
Three (3) main types of disasters were recorded in 2017. These are rainstorm/windstorm, flood and fire disasters. The most prevalent was flood disaster. As a result, several dwelling places were submerged, destroying a lot of personal belongings worth several thousand of Ghana cedis.
The District benefited from relief items supplied by the Regional Directorate of NADMO
Additionally, there were series of public education on disaster occurrence and prevention across the District.
Natural Resource Utilization
Mining and Quarrying
The development outlook in the Akatsi South District is to promote and market the potentials of clay deposits to would-be investors in the Brick and Tile Industry in order to create jobs in the communities. A vast stretch of clay deposits exists in Suipe and Wute. Feasibility studies conducted by geological survey department estimated the deposit at Suipe to be 6.8 million tones which could be exploited for over 130 years. At Wute, the clay deposit is estimated to be 9.7 million tones with an estimated commercial exploitable life span of 150 to 200 years. There are three major quarry sites in the District namely- Gonikope Atsiekpui and Ashiagborvi
Forestry and Tree Crop
Black berry (Atitoe) which is a tropical fruit is unique to the Akatsi South District. It fruits once a year from April-June. The Assembly undertook research and documentation of economic and investment potentials of black berry (Atitoe), which grows in the wild. The market for this black berry extended as far as to neighboring countries like Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
Tourism Potentials
The main attractions in the District include Xavi Bird-watching and the Sitatunga. The Sitatunga is one of the rare animal species in the world today. However, at the southern part of the District, specifically the Avu lagoon is the home for these animals. Use of natural resources from the Avu lagoon is closely monitored to protect its continual existence.
Natural Resource |
Type |
Resource utilization
|
Available technologies for extracting the existing resources |
Technologies that can be used for extracting the existing resource |
Technologies that can enhance the utilization of the resource |
Arable Land |
Wet land Farm land |
Rice farming Cash and food crop farming |
Simple tools and equipment |
Modern farming Irrigation Mechanized bore holes |
Irrigation technology Food processing mechanization |
Water Resources |
Avu Lagoon |
Drinking water Tourist attraction |
Water treatment plant |
Improved water treatment and distribution system |
Development of tourist centers |
Mineral resources |
Clay deposits |
Bricks, ceramic, tiles |
- |
- |
- |
Granite |
Roads, building, concrete, blocks |
Crushing equipments, stone cutting machine |
Quarry crushing set |
Asphalt road construction, concrete buidings |
Population
Demographic Characteristics
The total population of the District according to the 2010 Population and Housing Census stands at 98,684. Out of this number, 46.1 percent are males while the females are 53.9 percent. The District can be described as a rural district, with two-thirds (67.7%) of the District’s population living in rural areas while 32.3 percent forms the urban population of the District. The growth rate for the population in the District is 2.4 %. The population would grow from 119,302 in 2018 to 128,099 in 2021
The table below presents the population details of the District.
|
Total |
Male |
Female |
|
Urban |
Rural |
|||||
|
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Sex ratio |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Total |
98,684 |
100.0 |
45,497 |
100.0 |
53,187 |
100.0 |
85.5 |
31,884 |
100.0 |
66,800 |
100.0 |
0 - 4 |
13,107 |
13.3 |
6,584 |
14.5 |
6,523 |
12.3 |
100.9 |
4,062 |
12.7 |
9,045 |
13.5 |
5 - 9 |
12,195 |
12.4 |
6,144 |
13.5 |
6,051 |
11.4 |
101.5 |
3,529 |
11.1 |
8,666 |
13.0 |
10 - 14 |
11,782 |
11.9 |
6,048 |
13.3 |
5,734 |
10.8 |
105.5 |
3,639 |
11.4 |
8,143 |
12.2 |
15 - 19 |
10,770 |
10.9 |
5,411 |
11.9 |
5,359 |
10.1 |
101.0 |
3,775 |
11.8 |
6,995 |
10.5 |
20 - 24 |
8,123 |
8.2 |
3,795 |
8.3 |
4,328 |
8.1 |
87.7 |
3,320 |
10.4 |
4,803 |
7.2 |
25 - 29 |
6,450 |
6.5 |
2,775 |
6.1 |
3,675 |
6.9 |
75.5 |
2,723 |
8.5 |
3,727 |
5.6 |
30 - 34 |
5,733 |
5.8 |
2,474 |
5.4 |
3,259 |
6.1 |
75.9 |
2,241 |
7.0 |
3,492 |
5.2 |
35 - 39 |
5,183 |
5.3 |
2,193 |
4.8 |
2,990 |
5.6 |
73.3 |
1,858 |
5.8 |
3,325 |
5.0 |
40 - 44 |
4,655 |
4.7 |
1,855 |
4.1 |
2,800 |
5.3 |
66.3 |
1,514 |
4.7 |
3,141 |
4.7 |
45 - 49 |
4,154 |
4.2 |
1,783 |
3.9 |
2,371 |
4.5 |
75.2 |
1,274 |
4.0 |
2,880 |
4.3 |
50 - 54 |
3,842 |
3.9 |
1,608 |
3.5 |
2,234 |
4.2 |
72.0 |
1,120 |
3.5 |
2,722 |
4.1 |
55 - 59 |
2,459 |
2.5 |
1,172 |
2.6 |
1,287 |
2.4 |
91.1 |
728 |
2.3 |
1,731 |
2.6 |
60 - 64 |
2,290 |
2.3 |
936 |
2.1 |
1,354 |
2.5 |
69.1 |
584 |
1.8 |
1,706 |
2.6 |
65 - 69 |
1,574 |
1.6 |
606 |
1.3 |
968 |
1.8 |
62.6 |
362 |
1.1 |
1,212 |
1.8 |
70 - 74 |
2,532 |
2.6 |
853 |
1.9 |
1,679 |
3.2 |
50.8 |
520 |
1.6 |
2,012 |
3.0 |
75 - 79 |
1,511 |
1.5 |
513 |
1.1 |
998 |
1.9 |
51.4 |
286 |
0.9 |
1,225 |
1.8 |
80 - 84 |
1,141 |
1.2 |
330 |
0.7 |
811 |
1.5 |
40.7 |
198 |
0.6 |
943 |
1.4 |
85+ |
1,183 |
1.2 |
417 |
0.9 |
766 |
1.4 |
54.4 |
151 |
0.5 |
1,032 |
1.5 |
0-14 |
37,084 |
37.6 |
18,776 |
41.3 |
18,308 |
34.4 |
102.6 |
11,230 |
35.2 |
25,854 |
38.7 |
15-64 |
53,659 |
54.4 |
24,002 |
52.8 |
29,657 |
55.8 |
80.9 |
19,137 |
60.0 |
34,522 |
51.7 |
65+ |
7,941 |
8.0 |
2,719 |
6.0 |
5,222 |
9.8 |
52.1 |
1,517 |
4.8 |
6,424 |
9.6 |
Age dependency ratio |
83.9 |
|
89.6 |
|
|
79.2 |
|
66.6 |
|
93.5 |
|
Age - Dependency Ratios
The age-dependency ratio is the ratio of persons in the dependent age group (thus those between 0-14 years and 65+) to persons in the working age group of 15-64 years.). The age-dependency ratio is often used as an indicator of the economic burden on the working age group. The higher the ratio, the higher the economic burden on those within the working age-group.
The age dependency ratio for the Akatsi South district is 83.9. This means there are 83 persons in the dependent age group for every 100 people in working age group. Again, for males in the District, there are 89 people in the dependent age groups for every 100 males in the working ages whereas for females, there are 79 persons in the dependent age group for every 100 females in the working ages. The dependency is higher in the rural areas (93.5) than in the urban areas (66.6)
Population Pyramid
Population pyramid is often viewed as the most effective way to graphically depict the age and sex distribution of a population. The broadness of the base of the pyramid is determined by the level of fertility, while the shape is determined by mortality and to some extent migration.
The population of the District is 98,684 of which 45,497 representing 46.1 percent are males and 53,187 representing 53.9 percent are females. The pattern of age structure and sex composition of the population of the District did not deviate much from that of the region and nation. The age structure of the District shows a broad base and narrow apex which demonstrate a youthful population (larger proportion of people in the younger age groups). It also shows a decline in population with advancing age.
Fertility
According to the 2010 PHC, fertility rate for the District is 3.4 children per woman age 15-49, which is higher than the Regional average of 3.38. This means that a woman (between the ages of 15-49) living in the District would have an average of 3.4 children by the end of her reproductive period.
Mortality
According to the 2010 PHC, the District recorded a crude death rate of 9.2 which is higher than the Regional rate of 8.8. This means that for every 1000 population, an average of 9 deaths are recorded in the District in a year.
Implication for development
The high population growth leads to pressure on existing educational and health facilities can easily deteriorate over a short period of time. The population is active with over 50% falling within the economic range meaning there is the need to adopt policies to create wealth and job opportunities for the unemployed and the underemployed youth. If this potential is not harnessed well it can lead to increase rate of armed robberies, motor theft, cyber frauds as there are already evidences of these acts in the District.
Migration
The 2010 PHC shows that there are total of 27,022 migrants residing in the district. Out of this number, 19,849 (representing 73.5% of total migrants) were born elsewhere in the Volta Region, 21.4 percent were born elsewhere in another region, while the rest (5.1%) were born outside Ghana.
In terms of duration of residence, majority of the migrants (37.8%) have been residing in the District for ten years or more. Besides, amongst those who were born elsewhere in another region, those from upper east and eastern region have had the longest stay (20+ years) in the District.
Socio-cultural, Traditional Beliefs and Socialization
Due to the patriarchal structure of most families, systemic male domination and female subordination, socio-cultural practices restrict women from access to equal opportunities including productive resources such as land, credit, education training opportunities. women are the keepers of homes responsible for raising children and doing most of the domestic choirs as fetching of water, weeding the compound, sweeping, cooking, washing utensils, cleaning the toilet, fetching firewood, washing clothes which are often unpaid jobs and this make their contribution largely unrecognized whilst the male’s takes decisions as head of the family and get the best of education and engage in paid work to provide the needed funds for the maintenance of the family such as shelter, bills, house keep money.
Access to land and other productive capital and Skills Training
Customary laws consider property as a family asset to be administered by the family head, who is usually a man. As a result, women’s access to land is relatively poor. Even when the lands are accessed, they need credit/finance to prepare the land for farming. Due to the fact that they do not have collateral, they are unable to access formal credit from financial institutions and they depend on the informal ones which are expensive. Men receive the best of education and training as against women.
Implication for development
The consideration of men as legitimate owners to control lands puts the women at disadvantaged position which can be a hindrance to their development and economic empowerment. Education needs to be undertaken vigorously to minimize the orientation in order for women also to own and control portions of economic resources.
Settlement Systems
Hierarchy of settlements
Akatsi is the only urban town in the District. In the hinterland, the dominant pattern is scattered/sparse settlement as a result of agricultural activities. There are few patches of nucleated settlements; notable among them are Wute, Avenorpeme, Avenorpedo and Gefia.
Population of 20 major towns in the District
|
Community Name |
Sex |
|
House holds |
Houses |
||
S/No. |
Both sexes |
Male |
Female |
|
|||
1 |
Akatsi |
31,884 |
14,530 |
17,354 |
8,627 |
5,848 |
|
2 |
Avenorpedo |
2,405 |
1,074 |
1,331 |
673 |
613 |
|
3 |
Xavi |
1,881 |
818 |
1,063 |
509 |
450 |
|
4 |
Torve |
1,816 |
794 |
1,022 |
454 |
416 |
|
5 |
Atidzive |
1,656 |
720 |
936 |
492 |
438 |
|
6 |
Avenorpeme |
1,606 |
727 |
879 |
487 |
517 |
|
7 |
Agbedrafor |
1,491 |
666 |
825 |
362 |
337 |
|
8 |
Gefia |
1,313 |
563 |
750 |
364 |
423 |
|
9 |
Dzogadze |
1,234 |
625 |
609 |
284 |
395 |
|
10 |
Wute |
1,215 |
566 |
649 |
299 |
263 |
|
11 |
Nyitawuta |
1,156 |
600 |
556 |
241 |
339 |
|
12 |
Dagbamate |
1,063 |
510 |
553 |
197 |
261 |
|
13 |
Apeyime |
972 |
428 |
544 |
269 |
301 |
|
14 |
Avashive |
958 |
444 |
514 |
291 |
406 |
|
15 |
Tsigbene |
891 |
407 |
484 |
205 |
208 |
|
16 |
Ngblebi |
878 |
418 |
460 |
204 |
222 |
|
17 |
Lawui-Avedzi |
856 |
441 |
415 |
185 |
278 |
|
18 |
Guiga |
852 |
397 |
455 |
264 |
286 |
|
19 |
Klokpe |
831 |
371 |
460 |
194 |
216 |
|
20 |
Adeheta |
822 |
440 |
382 |
|
188 |
208 |
Land Use Planning and Development Control
The Assembly has not shown any commitment in land use planning and ensuring development control as demonstrated in the absence of physical plans in the Assembly’s past Medium-Term Development Plans. The District’s Physical Planning Department is seriously under-resourced in terms of financial, logistical and qualified personnel to perform its functions of planning and managing physical growth of towns in the district to ensure orderliness, convenience, safety and beauty. Currently, there is only one technical staff who is managing the district. Plans are far advanced to update the district base map and layouts for major communities in the District. Basic logistics such as computers and tracing papers, drawing tables and chairs as well as drawing equipment and materials have been procured to the department to facilitate their work.
Types of Transportation Infrastructure
The main forms of transportation are vehicle (taxi, trotro), motor bikes, tricycle and bicycle. Motor bikes are mainly used as “Okada” to transport passengers within short distances whilst tricycle are used for the transportation of goods within short and long distances. Taxi and trotro are mainly patronized on market days for long distance to places such as Ho, Accra, Nsawam, Kasoa, Afloa, Dzodze etc.
Most of the road accidents in the District involve motor bikes which either result in death or fatal damages to lives and properties due mostly to careless riding, overtaking and non-compliance to safety measures.
Sanitation (Method of Waste Disposal)
In the advent of increasing population and industrialization, waste management is becoming a severe problem in Ghana. Proper means of waste disposal is crucial to public health and the environment. This helps reduce the chances of spreading diseases. Proper waste disposal also reduces the probability of contamination of the soil and groundwater.
The 2010 PHC result revealed that 31.9 percent of household dispose their solid waste at public dump (open space), 26.7 percent burn their solid waste, while 15.0 percent dump their waste indiscriminately. On the other hand, 9.7 percent have their waste collected, 10.3 percent uses public container while 4.5 percent buried their waste.
By type of locality, while the proportion using of open space in the rural areas is 39.1 percent, that of the urban areas is 17.8 percent. The proportions using public dumps (containers) are 27.0 percent in the urban areas and 1.9 percent in the rural areas.
On liquid waste disposal, majority of households (60.7%) have their waste thrown onto the compound while 34.0 percent throw their waste onto the street. Relatively small proportion (4.0 %) practice more improved system (through the sewerage system [0.2%], through drainage system into a gutter [0.5%], through drainage into a pit/soak away [0.5%], and thrown into gutter [2.5%]). By type of locality, 69.0 percent of households in the rural areas throw their liquid waste onto the compound as compared with 44.0 percent in the urban areas.
Culture
The Akatsi South District has only one Traditional Area, known as Avenor Traditional Area which is made up of the Avenors. The Traditional Capital is located at Avenorpeme, which is the original home of the people. The Avenors are divided into Thirteen (13) clans with their clan heads who are also chiefs and function as the custodians of lands in the District.
Traditional Festivals
The Traditional Festivals celebrated in the District are Avenor-Hogbeza, Agbeliza, Denyaza and recently the Velvet Tamarin (Atitoe) Festival.
Hogbeza is celebrated by the people of the Avenors during the Second week of December each year to commemorate the migration of the Avenors from their original home, Avenor-Ketukpe in the Republic of Togo. The Avenorpedo community celebrates Agbeliza in the first week of August to recognize the importance of cassava products namely gari, tapioca, yakayake, chips, doughnuts and bread. The best cassava farmer is honoured at a durbar of chiefs and people. Denyaza is a festival celebrated locally in a number of Communities usually during Easter or Christmas. The Velvet Tamarin (Atitoe) Festival is celebrated in Akatsi to promote the commercial production of the fruits (Atitoe).
Ethnicity and Religion
The District is ethnically dominated by Ewes representing 98.6 percent. The rest are in the minority as follows, Akan (0.5%), Ga Adangme (0.2%) Guan (0.1%) and other ethnic groups (0.5%).
The religious affiliation of the people in the District is dominated by Christians, representing 60.6 percent followed by the Traditionalist (27.9%), No religion (8.5%), Islamic (2.1%) and other religions (0.1%)
Communal Spirit
Communal spirit is a very important tool for social mobilization and development within communities. It is used extensively to embark on community projects by declaring days in the month for the people to come out in their numbers to support projects with their skills and even those indigenes who do not stay in the communities contribute their quota financially to support community projects. However, communal spirit is declining gradually especially in the urban towns such as Akatsi. This may be attributed to urbanization. Communal spirit in the rural settlements are highly patronized.
NGOs in the District
Non-Governmental Organizations play a very important role in development within the District. Their support ranges from capacity building for staff, community stakeholder. They also provide other services such as construction, water delivery, inclusion of vulnerable and excluded in decision making. Some of the NGOs are Pencils of Promise, Plan Ghana, Care, UNICEF, Systems for Health, GLOWA.
Security and Justice
The maintenance of law and order and the combat of crime is the responsibility of the Police Service in the main, and the entire society at large. For an effective discharge of this unique role, the District needs a good number of service stations and staff. There is only one (1) Police station in the District and District Headquarters both located in Akatsi
During the 4-year period, 2014 to 2017, a total of 39 accident cases were recorded. Out of this number, 7 cases were as a result of motor accident, whilst the rest, 32 were from car accident. These alarming figures call for public education on road safety, especially for motor riders. Currently, road safety committee has been formed who are championing the safety campaign in the District. On the contrary, domestic violence, defilement, rape and robbery cases saw decreases in the number of cases from 2014. Conversely, murder and robbery cases have shot up
Table 1.19: No. of cases before District Police Station
CASE |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Domestic Violence |
239 |
135 |
87 |
54 |
Rape |
3 |
- |
3 |
2 |
Defilement |
12 |
6 |
9 |
4 |
Robbery |
2 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
Murder |
4 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
Possessing Narcotic Drug. |
4 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
No. of accident cases involving vehicles |
32 |
39 |
20 |
19 |
No. of accident cases involving motorbikes |
7 |
11 |
8 |
10 |
Source: Ghana Police Service, 2017.
Judicial Service
The District currently has one Magistrate Court for the administration of justice. This court convenes three times in a week. The Court has only one permanent magistrate with other supporting staff. The total number of cases before the District Court over the years is presented in the table below;
No. of cases before the District Court
CASE |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Civil |
265 |
210 |
213 |
173 |
Criminal |
292 |
239 |
218 |
205 |
Fire Service
Fire prevention and management has been the key responsibility of the Fire Service in the District. The importance of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) can therefore not be overemphasized in the protection of life and property. The District has only one Fire Station located at Akatsi with a total of Eighteen (18) staff including the District Fire Officer. This is made up of 16 males and 2 females. Number of reported fire cases in the district over the years is presented in the table below;
No. of Reported Fire Cases in the District
No. |
Type of Fire |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
1 |
Domestic Fires |
10 |
26 |
13 |
10 |
2 |
Bush Fires |
0 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
3 |
Electric |
4 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
Road Traffic Collision |
0 |
0 |
5 |
7 |
|
Total |
14 |
27 |
32 |
22 |
Source: District Fire Office, 2017
Ambulance Services
The district is also blessed with one (1) ambulance department that provides ambulance services to the district. Currently, the department has 8 staff, which is made of 6 males and 2 females.
Local Economic Development
The private sector has been identified as pivotal to accelerated growth, job creation and transformation of the district economy. In order to position it to play its role in Ghana’s economic growth and transformation, the competitiveness of the sector has to be enhanced, through the removal of core constraints inhibiting its growth. The Business Advisory Centre (BAC) is positioned to ensure MSEs have easy access to high quality and affordable business development support services. At the district level, BAC is playing a key role in accelerating the growth of the rural economy to help reduce rural poverty; particularly in ensuring an increase in the number of MSEs that generate profit for growth and employment opportunities to improve the livelihood and income of the rural poor. Within the period under review, the BAC, through its REP programme, has strengthened the competency and capacity of 144 individuals/SMEs to operate effectively and efficiently. Training was conducted in the following areas;
1. Technology Improvement and Packaging in Batik, Tie and Dye
2. Business counseling for master craftsmen and apprentices
3. Production efficiency and technology enhancement – Agro industrial soap/detergent making
4. Business Counselling
5. Agribusiness training at Adidome Farm Institute in the Poultry, mushroom, Goat/sheep, Pig
No entrepreneurs/SMEs were assisted with credit facilities and start up kits. The Assembly is also building a flour processing/milling centre in the Akatsi Market to promote the competitiveness of some SMEs in the District.
Economy of the District
Agriculture
The district is mainly an agrarian economy, with the majority of the population engaged in crop farming, livestock keeping, fishing and other related trading activities. The practice of Agriculture in the District is predominantly done at subsistence level. However, there are a few people who are engaged in commercial agriculture especially in vegetable production. The agricultural activities conform to the various soils in the district. The district has a vast cultivable land area, of which less than 40% are cultivated. This therefore makes the district a very good potential for development of commercial agriculture.
Types of Agric Products
Food Production
Crop production is albeit at the subsistence level, it is more intense in the southern parts of the district than in the northern parts. Manual and simple tools like the hoe and the cutlass are prevalent with the farmers.
Cassava Production
Cassava is considered the multi-purpose crop and presently cassava in Sub-Sahara Africa is primarily produced for food with little use in the agri-business section as an industrial raw material. The crop can be processed into several secondary products of industrial market value. These products include chips, pellets, flour adhesives, alcoholic drinks and starch which are vital raw materials in the livestock are feed, ethanol, textile and confectionary, plywood, food and soft drinks industries.
Sweet Potato Production
The production of sweet potatoes is estimated to be more than 90,000 metric tons. In the District, a significant expansion of sweet potatoes cultivation is noted during recent years. The crop has a 3-4 month growing season. Sweet potatoes fit well into the savanna rainfall pattern and contribute to food security. Sweet potatoes from the District are exported to Burkina Faso and Togo. Like cassava, sweet potatoes can be put to various uses such as flour and yoghurt known as potaghurt. Akatsi South District is considered one of the most suitable sweet potato growing areas n the country due largely to favourable climatic conditions.
Carrot, Pepper and Maize
The District also plays host to the cultivation of these crops not only for domestic consumption but also for export. The Carrot and Pepper for instance are also cultivated all year round through irrigation schemes established by the farmers. The dug-out wells and the Caterpillar dam for instance are sources of water for the production of these crops. Maize cultivation is also well supported by the soils in the District. No doubt the district celebrates Bliza or Maize festival to showcase its strength in the cultivation of the crop.
Pineapple Cultivation
The Akatsi South District has a vision of becoming the leading producer of pineapple in the Volta Region. Based on this, three (3) nursery sites have been established for the production of MD2
pineapple suckers (planting material) for onward distribution to farmers. The District has one pineapple commercial farmer and several small-scale farmers dotted all over the District. The climatic conditions, soil texture, structure and chemical composition and the readily land available resources are all factors favourable for the production of pineapple on commercial scale in the District. There is a large spouse of land for both short and long term lease. Most of these areas are easily accessible, thus facilitating easy transport of fresh and perishable goods.
Other potentials include the following: Sugar cane production, Chili Pepper Production, Commercial Mango Production, Exploitation of Clay Deposits, Establish and Upgrade machine shops
Forestry Tree Crops
Woodlots have been cultivated in some villages in the district for fuel wood
The hectares vary from 0.5 – 2 ha. In some villages, the woodlot development is carried out by Farmer- Based Organizations (FBOs), with some organized into co-operatives.
The tree species cultivated include Cassia mimosa, Cassia mangium. Cashew plantations are also being introduced into the district. This project is being undertaken with the help of NGOs. Small areas of land planted with cashew are dotted all over the district and is a good sign that the production will have a base.
Black berry (Atitoe) which is a tropical fruit is unique to the Akatsi South District. It fruits once a year from April-June. The Assembly undertook research and documentation of economic and investment potentials of black berry (Atitoe), which grows in the wild. The market for this black berry extended as far as to neighboring countries like Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
Animal Production
The livestock rearing in the District includes Goat, Sheep, cattle, pigs, poultry and ruminants just to mention but a few. A cattle grazing is concentrated in the Wowoe river drainage basin. There are no improved pastures and the development of the animals is always stunted because of poor and shortage of pastures in the dry season. The animals have to go in search of water over long distances. However, there are some dugouts scattered over the area dug specially for the cattle by their owners. The dugout invariably ends up serving both the community and the animals.
Fishing
Fishing is minor and secondary activity as a result of its land-locked geographical location. This activity is carried out in few dams and streams. Proceeds from it are unable to meet the local demand.
Many of the farmers cannot afford the high cost of Agro-chemical inputs. Many farmers do not have access to agricultural extension services due to the high extension - farmer ratio - (1:4000). Maize is the predominant crop in the district. Cassava does not do so well in the southern portions of the district.
Mining and Quarrying
The development outlook in the Akatsi South District is to promote and market the potentials of clay deposits to would-be investors in the Brick and Tile Industry in order to create jobs in the communities. A vast stretch of clay deposits exists in Suipe and Wute. Feasibility studies conducted by geological survey department estimated the deposit at Suipe to be 6.8 million tones which could be exploited for over 130 years. At Wute, the clay deposit is estimated to be 9.7 million tones with an estimated commercial exploitable life span of 150 to 200 years. There are three major quarry sites in the District namely- Gonikope Atsiekpui and Ashiagborvi.
Industry
The industrial activities of the district have been categorised into six major areas depending on the raw material base and production orientation. These categories are:
Agro-based: fish processing, cassava processing, sugar cane juice distilling, and coconut-oil extraction
Mining: Quarry exploitation of clay deposits and sand winning.
Wood-based: carpentry, standing brooms.
Textile: Tailoring/dressmaking, Kente weaving,
Service: Hairdressing, vehicle repair/fitting mechanics, radio/tv mechanics, masonry.
Ceramics: Pottery.
Commercial Activities
The major commercial activities engaged in the District are the sale of provisions, textiles, building materials, foodstuffs and others (electrical gadgets, cosmetics, utensils etc). The Akatsi market is the busiest and has a very large patronage. The patrons are from within the district mainly, but some come as far as, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Accra, Ho, Keta, Ketu, etc. permanent structures are few, most of the marketing activities are done under the scorching sun, the district assembly is putting up temporary market sheds and permanent sheds and stalls to alleviate this problem. In addition, there are other satellites markets which are dotted in the District. Examples are Avenorpedo and Avenorpeme
Tourism Potentials
The main attractions in the District include Xavi Bird-watching and the Sitatunga. The Sitatunga is one of the rare animal species in the world today. However, at the southern part of the District, specifically the Avu lagoon is the home for these animals. Use of natural resources from the Avu lagoon is closely monitored to protect its continual existence.
There are few Hotels and Guesthouse in the District which can also attract tourists. They include the Magava Hotel, Volta Paradise Hotel, Dzifanor’s Guest House and Perfect Peace Hotel. Others are Viglin Lodge, Akpeko Logde, Time Tells and Kepsons Guesthouse. All these hotels offer visitors decent accommodation, food and bar services as well as conference hall facilities at affordable prices and rates.
The Traditional Festivals celebrated in the District are Avenor-Hogbeza, Agbeliza, Denyaza and recently the Velvet Tamarin (Atitoe) Festival which are also tourism potential to the district.
Financial Institutions/Banking
There are two financial institutions in the District namely Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd and Avenor Rural Bank Ltd. However, there are Microfinance and other small scale financial Institutions across the District. Examples are Gaewornu Micro Finance, Genesis Financial Services and Teacher’s Credit Unions.
Filling Stations
There are a number of filling stations in the District. Some of these filing stations includes Shell filling station, Agapet Oil, Galaxy Oil, Goil filing stations, Kings Energy etc. There are currently two gas filling stations in the District.
Food Security
Agriculture production in the District cannot fully guaranteed food security. There is high risk of production loss due to crop failure as a result of unfavourable weather conditions and post-harvest losses make the sector highly vulnerable to shocks. Food prices therefore respond to shocks of climate variability, volumes of production at a particular time and demand for commodities at a particular time. However, food prices are high during the lean seasons, moderate during normal harvest period and very low during bumper harvest. Sellers go as far as neighbouring Togo to purchase commodities to sell in the market and also commodities are purchased from other District to make up for the shortages during lean season. This price fluctuations regime is a major challenge since consumers cannot easily predict prices of commodities. This has negative effect on savings because the real income of consumers is negatively affected since they cannot buy the same basket of goods they can buy with the same income previously. It is therefore necessary to invest in measures aimed at reducing bottlenecks associated with production in order to increase production and minimize losses. This will ensure stability in prices and enhance access thereby guaranteeing food security to meet the need of the increasing population.
Education Facilities
There are a total number of 236 schools both privately and publicly owned in the District. Out of this number, 92 are pre-schools, 98 primary schools, 58 Junior High Schools, 3 Senior High School, 1 Vocational school and 1 College of Education. Distribution of the schools into quantity and ownership is showed in the table below.
Update on Educational Institutions
No. |
Type |
Public |
Private |
Total |
1 |
KG (Pre-school) |
80 |
28 |
108 |
2 |
Primary |
70 |
28 |
98 |
3 |
Junior High School |
42 |
16 |
58 |
4 |
Senior High/Technical School |
2 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
Vocational/Technical School |
1 |
- |
1 |
6 |
College of Education |
1 |
- |
1 |
|
Total |
189 |
47 |
236 |
Source: Akatsi South District Education Directorate, 2017.
Despite the efforts made so far in the establishment of schools and the provision of school infrastructure, more still needs to be done to improve access to education in the District. More school buildings are particularly needed in the rural communities where pupils are still under trees and wooden structures. A lot more has to be done to improve the infrastructure of the existing schools to enable them deliver quality education.
Absence of places of convenience has the potential of driving away pupils, especially the girl child, from school. It is however, unfortunate to note that some of the schools have no access to toilet and urinal facilities.
Unavailability of electricity in the basic schools is also a major problem, even though most of the principal towns and villages have access electricity. Majority of the schools have not been provided with electricity. This may seriously affect the ICT Policy at the Basic Schools.
Another breach of the basic access to schools is the fact that the District’s 76 pre-schools are beset with lack of recreational facilities which are essential prerequisites for attracting children to school.
Non-Formal Education
The District’s desires to reduce its illiteracy rate especially among the youth can be seen from the efforts being made towards the development of the non-formal educational sub-sector.
In the district, adult literacy classes are organized to help adults who did not have the opportunity to enjoy formal education to be able to read and write.
Health
Health Infrastructure
There are Twenty-nine (29) health facilities in the District. Out of this number, 25 belong to the government owned while the remaining four (4) are privately owned. The government ones consist of One (1) District Hospital, Four (4) Health Centers and Twenty (20) CHPS Zones. The private owned has One (1) Hospital, Three (3) Clinics. All these facilities combined provide curative, preventive and maternity services.
Health Facilities in the District
HEALTH FACILITY |
TYPE OF INSTITUTION |
SERVICES PROVIDED |
Akatsi District Hospital |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Wute H/C |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Avenorpeme H/C |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Avenorpedo H/C |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Gefia H/C |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Asafotsi CHPs Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Bata CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Lume-Ahugakope CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Ahlepedo CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Dzogadze CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Atidzive CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Xavi CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Dagbamatey CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Gui CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Avadre CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Gonikope CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Sremanu CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Wuxor CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Live CHPS Zone |
Government |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Xetorlogo CHPS Zone |
Government |
Preventive, RCH/FP |
Monome CHPS Zone |
Government |
Reproductive Health |
Akuave CHPS Zone |
Government |
Preventive, RCH/FP |
Torve CHPS Zone |
Government |
Reproductive Health |
Agbedrafor CHPS Zone |
Government |
Preventive, RCH/FP |
Kpodzivi CHPS Zone |
Government |
Reproductive Health |
St Paul Hospital |
Private |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Hoggar Clinic |
Private |
Curative, RCH/FP |
Sepe Clinic |
Private |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Cuniberto Clinic |
Private |
Curative, Preventive, RCH/FP |
Source: Akatsi South District Health Directorate, 2017.
Top Ten Diseases
Malaria continues to be the topmost diseases that the affect majority of the people in the district. Malaria trend has been decreasing over the years ranging from 68,049 cases in 2014 to 21,434 cases in 2017 whilst Acute eye infection recorded the lowest of 2,453 cases in 2014 and Typhoid recorded 1,541 cases in 2017. In the light of the above, the district has embarked on a number of programmes such as distribution of LLTN, mass spraying of drains and gutters and malaria sensitization programmes to curb the menace
National Health Insurance Scheme
Total membership to Health Insurance Scheme has seen a remarkably improvement over the year, increasing from 46,956 in 2015 to 66,008 in 2017, representing 40.6% increase. Notwithstanding the above, effort is far advance to increase membership. The table below is the break down
NHIS Registration Coverage
Category |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Total Registered |
11,36`6 |
11,895 |
13,265 |
25,025 |
Total Membership |
21,626 |
38,283 |
46,956 |
66,008 |
Informal Sector |
5,754 |
6,825 |
13,824 |
24,241 |
SSNIT Pensioners |
17 |
21 |
106 |
73 |
Children Under 18 |
10,997 |
6,959 |
22,182 |
43,383 |
SSNIT Contributors |
|
|
1,434 |
1,474 |
Aged 70+ |
1,711 |
1,261 |
5,579 |
5,996 |
Indigents |
4 |
3 |
2 |
10,320 |
Pregnant women |
|
|
3,827 |
5,546 |
Total Exempt |
12,729 |
8,244 |
33,130 |
66,792 |
Source: District Health Insurance Scheme, 2017.
Computation of the result above put National Health Insurance Coverage in the District at 69.2% (that is, proportion of those registered to the total population of the District).