Volta Region (or Volta) is one of Ghana's sixteen administrative regions, with Ho designated as its capital.[3][4] It is located west of Republic of Togo and to the east of Lake Volta. Divided into 25 administrative districts, the region is multi-ethnic [5] and multilingual, including groups such as the Ewe, the Guan, and the Akan peoples. The Guan peoples include the Lolobi, Likpe, Akpafu, Akyode, Buem, Nyagbo, Avatime, and Nkonya.[citation needed] This region was carved out of the Volta Region in December 2018 by the New Patriotic Party. The people of the Volta Region are popularly known as Voltarians (French: Voltaiens.[6]This group includes the Ewes, Guans and other minor tribes living in the Volta Region.[citation needed] The people of the Volta Region are popular known for their rich cultural display and music some of which include Agbadza, Borborbor and Zigi.[citation needed]

Volta Region
Location of Volta in Ghana
Location of Volta in Ghana
CountryGhana
CapitalHo
Districts18
Government
 • Regional MinisterArchibald Yao Letsa[1]
 • Deputy Regional MinisterMaxwell Blagogee
Area
 • Total
9,504 km2 (3,670 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 12th
Population
 (2021 Census)
 • Total
1,659,040
 • RankRanked 7th
 • Density170/km2 (450/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)
 • Year2014
 • Per capita$3,974
GDP (Nominal)
 • Year2014
 • Per capita$1,902
Time zoneGMT
Area code036
ISO 3166 codeGH-TV
HDI (2022)0.625[2]
medium · 7th
Websitehttp://voltaregion.gov.gh/

Background

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British Togoland in pale green (French Togoland in pale purple)

The Volta region was formed by the state union of the former British Togoland which was part of the German protectorate of Togoland. It was administered as part of the Gold Coast by the British[7] and later renamed Trans-Volta Togoland.[citation needed]

Demographics

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The native and largest ethnic group of the Volta Region (Togoland / British Togoland) are the Ewe people (68.5% of the population). They consist of several subgroups such as the Anlo Ewe, Tongu Ewe, Wedome Ewe, Ave Ewe and Avenor Ewe. Other ethnicities include the Guan people (forming 9.2% of the population), the Akan people (8.5%), and the Gurma people (6.5% of the population).[8]

Administration

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The Volta region is run by a Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and a District Assembly. The RCC is made up of the Volta Regional Minister who is the political head and his deputy as well as representatives of the Regional House of Chiefs, the District Chief Executives of the Volta region, the Presiding Members of the 12 Districts Assemblies and representatives of the various decentralized Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Volta region. Each district is run by a District Assembly.[9]

Regional Commissioners and Ministers

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The current Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa was appointed in February 2017.[10]

Administrative divisions

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Before the regional demarcation in December 2018,[11] the region had 25 MMDA's (made up of 0 Metropolitan, 5 Municipal and 20 Ordinary Assemblies) with all the administrative changes as of December 2012.[12] After the census, the Oti Region was carved out of it, reducing the size of the region and the number of administrative districts to 18.

The political administration of the region is through the local government system. Under this administration system, the region is divided into 18 MMDA's (made up of 0 Metropolitan, 6 Municipal and 12 Ordinary Assemblies). Each District, Municipal or Metropolitan Assembly, is administered by a Chief Executive, representing the central government but deriving authority from an Assembly headed by a presiding member elected from among the members themselves. The current list is as follows:

 
Districts of the Volta Region
Districts of the Volta Region
# MMDA Name Capital MMDA Type Chief Executive Start Date Constituency Member of Parliament Party
1 Adaklu Adaklu Waya Ordinary Kadey Phanel Donkoh 1 June 2017[13] Adaklu Kwame Governs Agbodza NDC
2 Afadjato South Ve Golokwati Ordinary James Etornam Flolu 1 June 2017[14] Afadjato South Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-Tay NDC
3 Agotime-Ziope Kpetoe Ordinary John Kwaku Amanya 1 June 2017[15] Agotime-Ziope Charles Akwasi Agbeve NDC
4 Akatsi North Ave-Dakpa Ordinary Prince Sodoke Amuzu 1 June 2017[16] Akatsi North Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe NDC
5 Akatsi South Akatsi Ordinary Leonelson Adzidogah 1 June 2017[17] Akatsi South Bernard Ahiafor NDC
6 Anloga Anloga Ordinary Seth Yormewu 15 May 2018[18] Anlo Richard Kwami Sefe NDC
7 Central Tongu Adidome Ordinary Thomas Moore Zonyarah 1 June 2017[19] Central Tongu Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze NDC
8 Ho Ho Municipal Prosper Kofi Pi-Bansah 1 June 2017[20] Ho Central Benjamin Komla Kpodo NDC
9 Ho West Dzolokpuita Ordinary Ernest Victor Apau 1 June 2017[21] Ho West Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah NDC
10 Hohoe Hohoe Municipal Andrews Teddy Ofori 1 June 2017[22] Hohoe John-Peter Amewu NPP
11 Keta Keta Municipal Godwin Edudji Effah 1 June 2017[23] Keta Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey NDC
12 Ketu North Dzodze Municipal Anthony Avogbedor 1 June 2017[24] Ketu North James Klutse Avedzi NDC
13 Ketu South Denu Municipal Edem Elliot Agbewornu 1 June 2017[25] Ketu South Dzifa Abla Gomashie NDC
14 Kpando Kpandu Municipal Ernest Theophilus Quist 1 June 2017[26] Kpando Della Adjoa Sowah NDC
15 North Dayi Anfoega Ordinary Kudjo Edmund Attah 1 June 2017[27] North Dayi Joycelyn Tetteh NDC
16 North Tongu Battor Dugame Ordinary Richard Collins Arku 7 January 2017[28] North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa NDC
17 South Dayi Kpeve New Town Ordinary Ernest Patrick Mallet 1 June 2017[29] South Dayi Rockson-Nelson Kwami Dafeamekpor NDC
18 South Tongu Sogakope Ordinary Emmanuel Louis Agama 1 June 2017[30] South Tongu Kobla Mensah Wisdom Woyome NDC

The following districts are now within the boundaries of the Oti Region which was formally created on 15 February 2019.[31]

Districts of the Oti Region
# MMDA Name Capital MMDA Type Chief Executive
1 Biakoye Nkonya Ahenkro Ordinary Comfort Attah
2 Jasikan Jasikan Ordinary Lawrence Aziale
3 Kadjebi Kadjebi Ordinary Michael Kofi Asiedu
4 Krachi East Dambai Municipal Patrick Jilima
5 Krachi Nchumuru Chindiri Ordinary Augustine Appiah
6 Krachi West Kete Krachi Ordinary Douglas Osei-Nti
7 Nkwanta North Kpassa Ordinary Jakayi Jackson
8 Nkwanta South Nkwanta Ordinary John Tarsun

Constituencies

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There are 18 constituencies in the region after the Oti Region was carved out of it. Previously Volta Region had 19 constituencies in the election in December 2000 and 24 constituencies in December 2004 parliamentary election. Four new constituencies were created by the Electoral Commission prior to the December 2012 parliamentary election, increasing the number of constituencies to 26.[32][33]

Education

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Universities

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Nurses' Training and Colleges of Education

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Senior High Schools

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Health

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The Volta Regional Hospital is located at Ho. It is popularly referred to as Trafalgar. The inception of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Ho has led to it being redesignated as the Ho Teaching Hospital in 2019.[34][35] Other government run health facilities in the capital are the Ho Municipal Hospital and the Ho Polyclinic. Hospitals in the region include:

List of major hospitals in the Volta Region
District Location Hospital
Akatsi South Akatsi Akatsi District Hospital
St. Paul's Hospital
Ho Municipal Ho Ho Teaching Hospital
Ho Municipal Hospital
Ho Polyclinic
Hohoe Municipal Hohoe Hohoe Municipal Hospital
Keta Municipal Abor Sacred Heart Hospital
Keta Keta Government Hospital
Ketu South Municipal Aflao Ketu South Municipal Hospital
Kpando Municipal Kpando Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital
North Dayi Anfoega Anfoega Catholic Hospital
North Tongu Adidome Adidome Hospital
Battor Catholic Hospital
South Dayi Peki Peki Government Hospital
South Tongu Sogakope Sogakope District Hospital

Togoland Congress

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The Togoland Congress (TCP) was a political party formed in 1951 to campaign for the unification of the Ewe people in British Togoland and French Togoland as a separate Ewe state. The party was defeated in the May 1956 UN plebiscite in British Togoland, which resulted in the unification of British Trans-Volta Togoland with Gold Coast, which later became independent as Ghana.[36][37][38]

On 9 May 1956, a vote was conducted to decide the future disposition of British Togoland and French Togoland. The native and dominant ethnic group, the Ewe people, were divided between the two Togos. British Togoland inhabitants voted in favor of state union with the Gold Coast, and the Togo Ewe state was incorporated with Gold Coast.[39][40]

There was vocal opposition to the incorporation of Togoland into modern Ghana, from the Ewe people who voted (42%) against in British Togoland, as the Ewe wanted the unification of the Ewe people in British Togoland and French Togoland as a separate Ewe state (modern Togo).[41][42]

Recently, a campaign for the cessation of some part of the Volta Region from Ghana to be known as "Western Togoland" is being led by a group calling itself Homeland Study Group Foundation. The group is led by Charles Kormi Kudzodzi.[43][44][45][46][47][48][49]

Tourism

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Theora video of Tagbo Falls in Hohoe, Hohoe Municipal, Volta region.
 
Aerial view from the north of the Adomi Bridge

Recreation areas

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Museum

Mountains

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Other Tourist Attractions

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Waterfalls

Notable citizens

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Notable native citizens of Volta
# Citizen Settlement
1 Erica Nego Ho
2 Jerry Rawlings Keta
3 Kofi Awoonor Wheta
4 Peter Bossman Ho
5 Prof. A.C. Kuma Leklebi
Ave Kludze Hohoe
Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey Nogokpo
7 Dzifa Ativor Abutia
8 Ephraim Amu Abenase
9 Komla Dumor Aflao
10 Togbe Afede XIV Ho
11 Stonebwoy Alakple
12 Mz Vee Dzodze
13 John Dumelo Hohoe
14 Philip Gbeho Vodza
15 Kofi Adjorlolo Klikor
16 Edem Dzodze
17 John Peter Amewu Hohoe
19 Esther Ocloo Peki
20 Joseph Edward Michel Atikpui
21 Livingstone Etse Satekla Stonebwoy-Anloga

References

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  1. ^ "Regional Ministers". Archived from the original on 2012-01-03.
  2. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  3. ^ "Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana". GhanaDistricts. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  4. ^ "VOLTA REGION". Visit Ghana. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  5. ^ "One District One Factory (1D1F)". 1district1factory Government of Ghana. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  6. ^ Zobah, Theresa Ngmenmaaloo; Adenutsi, Caspar Daniel; Amedjoe, Godfrey Chiri; Wilson, Matthew Coffie; Boateng, Cyril Dziedzorm; Quaye, Jonathan Atuquaye; Erzuah, Samuel; Wang, Lian; Zhao, Guoxiang; Karimaie, Hassan; Danuor, Sylvester Kojo (November 2022). "A review on the provenance of the Voltaian Basin, Ghana: Implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity". Scientific African. 18: e01429. Bibcode:2022SciAf..1801429Z. doi:10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01429.
  7. ^ Beigbeder, Yves (1994). International Monitoring of Plebiscites, Referenda and National Elections: Self-Determination and Transition to Democracy. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-7923-2563-5.
  8. ^ "Volta". Government of Ghana. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
  9. ^ "Volta Region - political administration". Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  10. ^ "Regional Ministers Approved". Ghana Web. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  11. ^ Kaledzi, Isaac (26 June 2019). "Ghana: Six new regions created after a referendum". Africa Needs. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  12. ^ "BREAK DOWN OF METROPOLITAN, MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES". GhanaDistricts. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  13. ^ "Adaklu District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  14. ^ "Afadjato District Assembly Leaders". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Agotime Ziope District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Akatsi North District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Akatsi South District". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  18. ^ "Anloga District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Central Tongu". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  20. ^ "Ho Municipal Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  21. ^ "Ho West District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Hohoe Municipal Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  23. ^ "Keta Municipal". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  24. ^ "Ketu North Municipal Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  25. ^ "Ketu South Municipal Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  26. ^ "Kpando Municipal Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  27. ^ "North Dayi District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  28. ^ "North Tongu District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  29. ^ "South Dayi District Assembly". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  30. ^ "South Tongu District". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  31. ^ "Oti Region". Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  32. ^ 2012 parliamentary election. MyJoyOnline.
  33. ^ "EC Creates 45 New Constituencies". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  34. ^ "Ho Teaching Hospital Inaugurated". University of Health and Allied Sciences. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  35. ^ "Volta Regional Hospital now Ho Teaching Hospital". Ministry Of Health. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  36. ^ Daniel Miles McFarland, Historical Dictionary of Ghana, 1985, p. 173
  37. ^ "Opinion: History of Trans Volta Togoland". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  38. ^ "On Dec. 13, 1946: British Togoland Trusteeship approved by the United Nations". Edward A. Ulzen Memorial Foundation. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  39. ^ "5. British Gold Coast/Togoland (1946-1957)". uca.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  40. ^ "British Togoland Mandate". British Empire. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  41. ^ McLaughlin, James L.; Owusu-Ansah, David (1995). "The Politics of the Independence Movements". In Berry, LaVerle Bennette (ed.). Ghana: A Country Study. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 26–30. ISBN 978-0-8444-0835-4. LCCN 95018891. DTIC ADA302332.
  42. ^ Brown, David (December 1980). "Borderline Politics in Ghana: the National Liberation Movement of Western Togoland". The Journal of Modern African Studies. 18 (4): 575–609. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00014750.
  43. ^ "Court denies 10 members of Western Togoland movement bail". GhanaNewsSummary. Retrieved 2020-01-29.
  44. ^ AfricaNews (2019-05-16). "Ghana keen on crashing 'Western Togoland' separatist dream". Africanews. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  45. ^ Vorsah, Sabina (2019-11-20). "JUST IN: Ghana's Secret Agenda Against Western Togoland, Also Known British Togoland Exposed". Ghananewsonline. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  46. ^ "3 symbols of Independence-seeking Western Togoland". Pulse Gh. 2019-05-09. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  47. ^ Skinner, Kate (2015). The Fruits of Freedom in British Togoland. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139870573. ISBN 978-1-139-87057-3.[page needed]
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  49. ^ "Sharp facts about 'Western Togoland'". BBC News Pidgin. 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
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7°00′N 0°30′E / 7.000°N 0.500°E / 7.000; 0.500