THE ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND
The Juaboso district is one of the nine districts in the western north region, was created out of the Sefwi Wiawso District in 1988 with Legislative Instrument (LI) 1473. In 2004 when Bia District was created, Legislative Instrument (LI) 1744 re-established the Juaboso District Assembly. Currently the Juaboso District Assembly derives its legal mandate from Legislative Instrument (LI) 2020 following the creation of Bodi District in 2012.
Vision Statement
To be among the first class District in the Country
Mission Statement
The Mission Statement of Juaboso District Assembly (JDA) exists to raise the living standards of the people through formulation and implementation of policies in partnership with local development stakeholders to improve access to basic services to create opportunities for wealth creation.
Core Values
The core values of the Juaboso district include:
- Accountability
- Client Oriented
- Commitment
- Timeliness
- Transparency
1.2.4 Functions of the Assembly
The District Assembly is the highest Political and Administrative Authority in the District. It has Deliberative, legislative and Executive Powers. The Assembly’s main statutory functions vide section 10 of Act 936 includes the following.
- Be responsible for the overall development of the District and shall ensure the preparation and submission to the Central Government for approval the development plan and budget for the District.
- Formulate programs and strategies for the effective mobilization and utilization of Human, physical, financial and other resources of the District.
- Promote and support productive activity and social development in the District and remove any obstacle initiative and development.
- Initiate programs for the development of basic infrastructure and provide municipal works and service in the District
- Be responsible for the development improvement and management of human settlement and the environment in the district
- In co-operation with the appropriate national and local security agencies are responsible for the maintenance of security and public safety in the district.
- Initiate, sponsor or carry out such duties as many be necessary for the discharge of any of the functions conferred by this law or any other enactment.
- Ensure ready access to the court and public tribunals in the District for the promotion of justice;
- Perform such other functions as may be referred to it by the Government.
Location and Size
The District is located between latitude 60 65 ‘N and 60 22’ N, and longitude 30 22’W and 20, 66’W and shares borders with Bia West and Asunafo North Municipal in the North, Asunafo South and Sefwi Wiawso Districts to the East, Bodi District to the south and La Cote D’lvoire to the west. The District is located in the Northern part of the Western North Region of Ghana.
The district has a surface area of 1,370 square kilometers and serves as entry/exit point between Ghana and La Cote d’Ivoire.
The capital of
the District is Juaboso is located
66 km to the North East of Wiawso, the Regional capital and a distance of 225
km from Kumasi, the Regional capital of Ashanti Region.
The District is remotely located in
terms of proximity to the regional, national capital and large commercial
market centres.
MAP 1: Juaboso District in Regional Context, Source: DPCU, 2017
Geology and Mineral Deposits
The district geological composition is mainly of the Birimian formation. There are also granite rocks. The Birimian formation, which covers about three quarters of the closed forest zone is said to be the most important mineral bearing rocks. Deposit of mineral such as gold is mined on a small scale at Juaboso. A number of companies have undertaken prospecting in the district.
MAP 2 : Geological Layout of Juaboso, Source: DPCU, 2017
Soils
Soils in the district are mainly forest Acrisols. They are red-dark in colour and alkaline in nature. Because of the clayey nature of the soil and the presence of organic matter water retention is high. This soil type is rich and supports the cultivation of food and cash crops. This makes the district have comparative advantage in agriculture production and also a fertile ground for agro-processing industries.
Drainage and Relief
The district is endowed with a number of rivers and streams, the most important of which are Bia and Sui rivers. The streams and rivers usually flow southwards and exhibit a dendritic pattern to the Bia basin. They offer equable climatic conditions and opportunity for the cultivation of valley bottom rice, fish, vegetable and sugarcane farming
The district forms part of the country’s dissected plateau. The greater proportion of this plateau is between 240 and 300 meters above sea level. Within the district, there are isolated hills ranging between 300 and 390 meters above sea level. There are also a few areas – mainly the valleys of major rivers such as Bia – that do not exceed 150 meters above sea level.
MAP 4: Juaboso District Drainage, Source: DPCU 2017
Climate
The District forms part of the country’s wet semi-equatorial climatic zone. The zone is characterized by two maxima rainfall regime with mean annual rainfall figures ranging from 1,250-2,000mm. The two rainfall peaks fall between May-June and September – October respectively. Mean annual temperatures for the district range between 25.5oc and 26.50 C. The highest temperature, which is recorded between March and April, is about 300 C. The area also records high Relative Humidity figures, ranging from 75-90% during the wet season and 70-80% during the dry season. The District experiences two main seasons, namely the wet season (April – October) and the dry season (November and March). The long period of the wet season which is characterized by abundant rainfall sometimes disrupt the smooth implementation of development project, including road and building construction. Most of the District roads which are not tarred need constant re-shaping annually to ensure all year usage. The Climatic conditions favour cultivation of both food crops and tree crops.
Vegetation and Land Cover
The District’s vegetation is of moist semi-deciduous forest type. Most of the trees in the upper and middle layers shed their leaves during the dry season while the lower layer remains evergreen.
The forest vegetation is normally made up of hundreds of different tree species. Some of the important species include Wawa, Mahogany, Esa, Ofram, Edinam, Onyina, Kyenkyen and Odum. This explains reasons for the district being the bed rock of timber exploitation in the country.
There are three forest reserves in the district, namely Bia Torya, Bia game reserve and Krokosue Forest Reserves. This covers large area of the land whiles the rest are mixed vegetation.
Culture
Traditional Set Up
The People of Juaboso are Sefwi, which is classified under the Akan ethnic group of Ghana. They are under the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council. The Sefwi state is divided into seven divisional chiefdoms each of the divisions is headed by a chief from the royal family of the traditional area. Juaboso District has one of the divisional chiefs at Boinzan who pay homage to the Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of Sefwi Wiawso. The Boinzan chief is the “Krontihene” of the sefwi state. There are other non-divisional chiefs who are not autonomous yet controls large tract of lands in the district. They include, chiefs of Mafia, Kogyina Agyemadiem, Seyerano and Benchema. The chiefs help in settlement of out of court (formal) disputes; they are also custodians of land and have leased large acreage of land to family members, migrant workers and other private sector organisations to undertake agricultural activities, such businesses are transacted on behalf of the Sefwi Wiawso Paramountcy
Ethnic Diversity
The Sefwi’s are classified under the ethnic group of Akans in Ghana. The Sefwis who are the indigenes form majority of the district’s population. There are other ethnic groups from parts of western region and other regions of the country. The other ethnic groups are mainly settler farmers, they play important role in the district’s economy. Even though there are diverse ethnic groupings, they are live in peace and harmony.
Positive Cultural Practices Necessary to Promote Development
The people of Juaboso Traditional area celebrate the Alluolue festival. It is an agricultural festival held to mark the end of one agricultural year and to welcome the beginning of another. Though the festival is significant in the life of the people, only few communities who want to keep the culture flames of the Sefwis high make all the necessary effort to celebrate it. The festival brings chiefs, elders, and the people together during which disputes are settled, and a reunion for those within and outside the community. It enables the chiefs and the people show case the rich culture of the district which sometimes attracts tourist.
Religious Composition
Religion is seen as one of the tools for maintaining sanctity on our societies hence the district embraces a wide variety of religion. The Christian community made up of Catholics, Protestants, Pentecostals / Charismatic together constitutes 81.6 percent of the total population in the district. Persons who practice Islam constitute 11.1 percent and traditionalist form 0.6 percent. Almost 6 percent of the population has no religion.
Religion | Both Sexes | Male | Female |
No Religion | 3,443 | 2,237 | 1,206 |
Christianity | 47,688 | 23,519 | 24,169 |
Islam | 6,505 | 3,573 | 2,932 |
Traditionalist | 333 | 205 | 128 |
Other | 466 | 208 | 258 |
Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2010 Population and Housing Census.
Graph Showing Religious Composition
Although there is diversity of religions there is religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence among the various religious groups of the district. Consequently, the development of the district is not hampered by religious differences
Population
According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the population of the district is 58,435. However, with a fertility rate of 4.2 the current population of the district stands as 229,440 with males constituting the majority in terms of sex (Male constitute 52.4% while 47.6% are female).
About 90.7 percent of the population lives in rural localities and the remaining 9.3 percent are in urban localities. The district is therefore overwhelmingly rural. The population density of the district is 42.7 hence the district is sparsely population.
Age/Sex | PHC 2010 | Projected 2020 | ||||
Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | |
All Ages | 58,435 | 29,742 | 28,693 | 229,440 | 119,185 | 110,255 |
0-14 | 24,182 | 12,249 | 11,933 | 32,253 | 47,067 | 45,854 |
15-64 | 32,582 | 16,634 | 15,948 |
| 63,917 | 61,281 |
65+ | 1,671 | 859 | 812 | 2,229 | 3,302 | 3,121 |
EDUCATION
| Public | Private |
|
KG | 66 | 39 | 105 |
Primary | 68 | 39 | 107 |
JHS | 37 | 20 | 57 |
SHS | 2 | 2 | 4 |
|
|
|
|
The Juaboso District Assembly has 105 Kindergarten (KG) schools made up of 66 public and 39 private schools. The number of Primary and JHS in the District is 107 and 57 respectively.
DISTRICT ECONOMY
Juaboso is predominantly rural district with 85% of its population living in communities of less than 5,000 inhabitants. Like most rural communities the major economic activity is agriculture supported by other minor economic activities such as trade and commerce, banking and finance, manufacturing and agro processing. . Over 90% of the work force is engaged in Agriculture activity. The major crops grown in the district are cash crops such as cocoa, oil palm and coffee and food crops such as plantain, cocoyam cassava, maize and rice. Fruits such as oranges, pear, coconut, pineapple and vegetable are also cultivated.
Because of the hilly nature of the topology coupled with the thick forest, it does not favour mechanized farming. Thus the farming method used is the traditional slash and burn and the rotational bush fallow. The people also engage in rearing of livestock such as poultry, Goat, fish farming, Piggery etc. among others.
Economic Infrastructure
The role of economic infrastructure like road, electricity, Telecommunication and market are crucial in promoting economic development. The district has about 241.5km length of road of which 20km are tarred. Very few of the roads are motorable during the raining season. As at 2017 only 21 communities were connected to national electricity grid. The erratic supply of electricity power affects economic activity in the district.
The District has two major market days at Juaboso and Bonsu Nkwanta on Thursday and Friday respectively. There is a minor market day at Proso which is on Tuesday and Boinzan on Wednesdays. Most of the markets has inadequate infrastructure such as Market stalls and stores.
