| Volta Region | |
| Type: | Region |
| Mapsize: | 150px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Ghana |
| Leader Title: | Regional Minister |
| Leader Name: | Archibald Yao Letsa[1] |
| Leader Title1: | Deputy Regional Minister |
| Leader Name1: | Maxwell Blagogee |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Ho |
| Area Total Km2: | 9,504 |
| Area Rank: | Ranked 12th |
| Population Total: | 1659040 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 Census |
| Population Rank: | Ranked 7th |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | GDP (PPP) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Year |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 2014 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics1 Info2: | $3,974 |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP (Nominal) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Year |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 2014 |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics2 Info2: | $1,902 |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 0.594[2] · 4th |
| Parts Type: | Districts |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | 18 |
| Iso Code: | GH-TV |
| Website: | http://voltaregion.gov.gh/ |
| Timezone: | GMT |
| Area Code: | 036 |
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. 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: Voltariens). This group includes the Ewes, Guans and other minor tribes living in the Volta Region. The people of the Volta Region are popular known for their rich cultural display and music some of which include Agbadza, Borborbor and Zigi.
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 and later renamed Trans-Volta Togoland.[6]
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 sub groups 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).[7]
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.[8]
See main article: Volta Regional Minister. The current Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa was appointed in February 2017.[9]
Before the regional demarcation in December 2018,[10] 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.[11] 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:
| 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[12] | Adaklu | Kwame Governs Agbodza | NDC |
| 2 | Afadjato South | Ve Golokwati | Ordinary | James Etornam Flolu | 1 June 2017[13] | Afadjato South | Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-Tay | NDC |
| 3 | Agotime-Ziope | Kpetoe | Ordinary | John Kwaku Amanya | 1 June 2017[14] | Agotime-Ziope | Charles Akwasi Agbeve | NDC |
| 4 | Akatsi North | Ave-Dakpa | Ordinary | Prince Sodoke Amuzu | 1 June 2017[15] | Akatsi North | Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe | NDC |
| 5 | Akatsi South | Akatsi | Ordinary | Leonelson Adzidogah | 1 June 2017[16] | Akatsi South | Bernard Ahiafor | NDC |
| 6 | Anloga | Anloga | Ordinary | Seth Yormewu | 15 May 2018[17] | Anlo | Richard Kwami Sefe | NDC |
| 7 | Central Tongu | Adidome | Ordinary | Thomas Moore Zonyarah | 1 June 2017[18] | Central Tongu | Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze | NDC |
| 8 | Ho | Ho | Municipal | Prosper Kofi Pi-Bansah | 1 June 2017[19] | Ho Central | Benjamin Komla Kpodo | NDC |
| 9 | Ho West | Dzolokpuita | Ordinary | Ernest Victor Apau | 1 June 2017[20] | Ho West | Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah | NDC |
| 10 | Hohoe | Hohoe | Municipal | Andrews Teddy Ofori | 1 June 2017[21] | Hohoe | John-Peter Amewu | NPP |
| 11 | Keta | Keta | Municipal | Godwin Edudji Effah | 1 June 2017[22] | Keta | Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey | NDC |
| 12 | Ketu North | Dzodze | Municipal | Anthony Avogbedor | 1 June 2017[23] | Ketu North | James Klutse Avedzi | NDC |
| 13 | Ketu South | Denu | Municipal | Edem Elliot Agbewornu | 1 June 2017[24] | Ketu South | Dzifa Abla Gomashie | NDC |
| 14 | Kpando | Kpandu | Municipal | Ernest Theophilus Quist | 1 June 2017[25] | Kpando | NDC | |
| 15 | North Dayi | Anfoega | Ordinary | Kudjo Edmund Attah | 1 June 2017[26] | North Dayi | Joycelyn Tetteh | NDC |
| 16 | North Tongu | Battor Dugame | Ordinary | Richard Collins Arku | 7 January 2017[27] | North Tongu | Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa | NDC |
| 17 | South Dayi | Kpeve New Town | Ordinary | Ernest Patrick Mallet | 1 June 2017[28] | South Dayi | Rockson-Nelson Kwami Dafeamekpor | NDC |
| 18 | South Tongu | Sogakope | Ordinary | Emmanuel Louis Agama | 1 June 2017[29] | 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.[30]
| 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 |
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.[31] [32]
See also: List of hospitals in the Volta Region.
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.[33] [34] Other government run health facilities in the capital are the Ho Municipal Hospital and the Ho Polyclinic. Hospitals in the region include:
| District | Location | Hospital | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akatsi District Hospital | ||||
| St. Paul's Hospital | ||||
| Ho Teaching Hospital | ||||
| Ho Municipal Hospital | ||||
| Ho Polyclinic | ||||
| Hohoe Municipal Hospital | ||||
| Sacred Heart Hospital | ||||
| Keta Government Hospital | ||||
| Ketu South Municipal | Aflao | Ketu South Municipal Hospital | ||
| Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital | ||||
| Anfoega Catholic Hospital | ||||
| Adidome Hospital | ||||
| Catholic Hospital | ||||
| Peki Government Hospital | ||||
| Sogakope District Hospital |
See main article: Togoland Congress. 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.[35] [36] [37]
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.[38] [39]
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).[40] [41]
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.[42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48]
| 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 |