6°3′00″N 0°48′0″W / 6.05000°N 0.80000°W / 6.05000; -0.80000

Akwatia
Nickname: 
diamond city
Akwatia is located in Ghana
Akwatia
Akwatia
Location of Akwatia in Eastern Region
Coordinates: 06°03′00″N 00°48′00″W / 6.05000°N 0.80000°W / 6.05000; -0.80000
CountryGhana
RegionEastern Region
DistrictDenkyembour
Elevation
482 ft (147 m)
Population
 (2013)
 • Total23,766[1]
Time zoneGMT
 • Summer (DST)GMT

Akwatia is the capital of Denkyembour, a district in the Eastern region of south Ghana and west of the Atewa Range in the Birim River basin. Akwatia or Akortia also means "He returned here or there" In the indigenous language formerly known as Oji-Ounji now called Anii. Akwatia has a 2013 settlement population of 23,766 people.[1] Akwatia is the main center of diamond extraction in Ghana. The town is the center of the Denkyembour parliamentary constituency.

Facilities

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Education

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  • St. Rose's´High School[2]
  • Akwatia Technical Institute[3]

Sports

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Among the athletes hailing from this town are: Kabiru Moro, Ekow Benson, Emmanuel Boateng, Oppong Enoch Opare among others. Among the notable football clubs are the Akwatia Diamond Stars,[4] Diamond Academy, Akwatia Vidaco Football Club, Akwatia Frankfurt Football Academy,[5] Young Diamonds[6] and Deelorm Academy[6]

Healthcare

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Akwatia has two hospitals, Saint Dominic's Hospital and The Ghanaian Consolidated Diamonds Company Hospital (G.C.D Hospital). The Saint Dominic's Hospital in Akwatia is a 320-bed facility, and the hospital opened an Eye Clinic since 2003.[7]

Diamond mining

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The Akwatia diamond field lies in Birimian rocks and has produced over 100,000,000 carats (20,000 kg) of diamonds, mostly industrial grade.[8] The Ghana government-owned Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) is the only formal commercial producer of diamonds, using strip mining with Manitowoc draglines.[9] Large additional resources of diamonds have been identified in the nearby Birim River deposits, including an altered meta-lamproite that may represent a primary diamond source.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "World Gazetteer online". World-gazetteer.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-11.
  2. ^ Online, Peace FM. "E/R: St. Roses Old Students Held 2022 Thanksgiving Service At Akwatia". Peacefmonline.com - Ghana news. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  3. ^ "Akwatia Technical Institute student stabs teacher". GhanaWeb. 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  4. ^ "Division I: Sekondi Eleven Wise win". Modern Ghana Media Communication Limited. 2003-01-14. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  5. ^ "Profile: Frankfurt Football Academy in Akwatia". GhanaWeb. 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  6. ^ a b Online, Peace FM. "Ultimate Soccer Academy wins Easter Region U-17 Tourney". Peacefmonline - Ghana news. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  7. ^ "St Dominic's Hospital to operate Eye clinic". Modern Ghana Media Communication Limited. 2003-05-13. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  8. ^ Canales, Dylan G. "The Akwatia Diamond Field, Ghana: Source Rocks". gsa confex. Archived from the original on 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  9. ^ "Geology and Mineral Deposits". Minerals Commission of Ghana. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  10. ^ Kogel, Jessica Elzea, ed. (2006). Industrial minerals & rocks : commodities, markets, and uses. Littleton, Colo.: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. ISBN 0-87335-233-5.