North East Region | |
|---|---|
 Location of North East Region in Ghana | |
| Country | Ghana |
| Capital | Nalerigu |
| District | 6 |
| Population (2021) [1] | 658,903 |
| Time zone | GMT |
| Area code | +233 37 |
| ISO 3166 code | GH-NP |
The North East Region is one of the sixteen regions of Ghana. It is located in the north of the country and was created in December 2018 after a referendum was voted upon to break it off of the Northern region. [2] The region's capital is Nalerigu. [3]
The North East Region of Ghana was a proposed new region to be carved out of the existing Northern Region of Ghana. The creation of this new region was in fulfillment of a promise made by the New Patriotic Party prior to the 2016 Ghana general election. Upon winning the elections, the President, Nana Akuffo Addo created the Ministry of Regional Reorganization to oversee policy formulation and implementation, and Hon. Solomon Namliit Boar, Mp for Bunkpurugu Constituency and former Deputy Northern Regional Minister was appointed as the first Regional Minister for the newly created North East Region. In all six new regions were to be created from the existing ten regions of Ghana. The other regions are Western North, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Savannah and Oti regions. [4]
A referendum vote held on December 27, 2018 was successful with 81% voter turnout in the proposed region voting 99.8% in favor of the creation of the North East Region. [2] The region's proposed capital is the town of Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly. [3]
The North East Region is bordered on the north by the Upper East region, on the east by the eastern Ghana-Togo international border, on the south by the Northern region, and on the west by the Upper West region. North East region is made up of 6 districts.
The North East Region is much drier than southern areas of Ghana, due to its proximity to the Sahel, and the Sahara. The vegetation consists predominantly of grassland, especially savanna with clusters of drought-resistant trees such as baobabs or acacias. Between December and April is the dry season. The wet season is between about June and November with an average annual rainfall of 750 to 1050 mm (30 to 40 inches). The highest temperatures are reached at the end of the dry season, the lowest in December and January. However, the hot Harmattan wind from the Sahara blows frequently between December and the beginning of February. The temperatures can vary between 17 °C (63 °F) at night and 47 °C (117 °F) during the day.
The Nayiri is the King (overlord) of Mamprugu traditional area of which the entire region is a part. He has a traditional council of elders who advise him. The Nayiri is supported by paramount chiefs, divisional and other sub-chiefs under him. His paramountcy extend beyond the boundaries of the North East Region and even the nation. Notable among the chiefs are the Wulugu Naaba, Wungu Naaba, Soo Naaba, Kulgu Naaba, Yunyoorana and Bunkpurugu Naaba and Zuarungu Naaba, Tongu Naaba, Sakuti (all in Upper East Region).
Mamprusi people are the major ethnic group in the Municipality. However, there are also Dagombas, Bimobas, Konkombas, Talensis, Tampulma, Bissa, Mossis, Chakosis and Hausas who have settled in the area. Two traditional festivals are celebrated annually, Damba Festival, Bugum (Fire) Festival. The District is a multi-religious one with the dominant religions being Christianity, Islam and Traditional African Religion.
More than 85% of the economically active population are agricultural. The low population density is partly caused by emigration, in addition to geography and climate.
The North East Region has a low population density, and, along with the official language of English, most inhabitants speak a language of the Gur subfamily in the Niger–Congo language family, such as Mampruli, Tampulma, Bimoba, Kusaal, Dagbani, or Konkomba. The Mamprusi Kingdom is located in the region.
Most residents in the North East region are affiliated with Christianity, Islam, and/or Traditional African Religion. [6]
The political administration of the region is through the local government system. Under this administration system, the region is divided into six MMDA's (made up of 0 Metropolitan, 2 Municipal and 4 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 | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bunkpurugu-Nyankpanduri | Bunkpurugu | Ordinary | |
| 2 | Chereponi | Chereponi | Ordinary | 55,932 |
| 3 | East Mamprusi [7] | Nalerigu | Municipal | 121,009 |
| 4 | Mamprugu-Moagduri | Yagaba | Ordinary | |
| 5 | West Mamprusi | Walewale | Municipal | |
| 6 | Yunyoo-Nasuan | Yunyoo | Ordinary | |
| # | Citizen | Settlement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mahamudu Bawumia | Nalerigu/Walewale |
| 2 | Solomon Namliit Boar (MP) | Bunkpurugu |
| 3 | Edward Mahama | Nalerigu |
| 4 | Alima Mahama (MP) | Nalerigu |
| 5 | Sagri Banbangi (MP) | Walewale |
The Mossi are a Gur ethnic group native to modern Burkina Faso, primarily the Volta River basin. The Mossi are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, constituting 52% of the population, or about 11.1 million people. The other 48% of Burkina Faso's population is composed of more than 60 ethnic groups, mainly the Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Bissa and Fulani. The Mossi speak the Mòoré language.
The Districts of Ghana are second-level administrative subdivisions of Ghana, below the level of region. There are currently 261 local metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
Bunkpurugu is a small town and is the capital of Bunkpurugu Nyankpanduri district, a district in the North East Region of Ghana adjacent to the border with Togo. It was formerly the capital of the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District.
East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly is one of the six districts in North East Region, Ghana. Originally created as an ordinary district assembly in 1988 when it was known as East Mamprusi District, which was created from the former Mamprusi District Council, until the eastern part of the district was split off by a decree of president John Agyekum Kufuor on 19 August 2004 to create Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District; thus the remaining part has been retained as East Mamprusi District. However on 15 March 2018, it was elevated to municipal district assembly status to become East Mamprusi Municipal District. The municipality is located in the eastern part of North East Region and has Gambaga as its capital town.
West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly is one of the six districts in North East Region, Ghana. Originally created as an ordinary district assembly in 1988 when it was known as West Mamprusi District, which was created from the former Mamprusi District Council, until the western part of the district was split off on 28 June 2012 to create Mamprugu-Moagduri District; thus the remaining part has been retained as West Mamprusi District. However, on 15 March 2018, it was elevated to municipal district assembly status to become West Mamprusi Municipal District. The municipality is located in the western part of North East Region and has Walewale as its capital town. Other settlements within the municipal assembly include Wulugu.
Builsa South is one of the constituencies represented in the Parliament of Ghana. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Builsa South is located in the Builsa district of the Upper East Region of Ghana.
Mamprusis are an ethnic group in northern Ghana and Togo. Estimates are that there are about 200,000 Mamprusis living in the Northern Regions of Ghana as of 2013. They speak Mampruli, one of the Gur languages. In Ghana, the Mamprusis live mainly in Nalerigu, Gambaga, Walewale, and their surrounding towns and villages in the North East Region. Their origin is in the Upper East Region, principally, Bawku, and they also inhabit parts of the Upper West Region, too.
Walewale is one of the constituencies represented in the Parliament of Ghana. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the [first past the post] / Simple Majority] system of election. Walewale is located in the West Mamprusi Municipal of the North East Region of Ghana. It is the Municipal capital of West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly. The constituency was formerly called the West Mamprusi Constituency.
Nalerigu is the largest town in the East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly in the North East Region of Ghana as well as the traditional capital of the Mamprusi people, the seat of the Paramount chief, the NaYiri. Nalerigu is also the capital of the Northeast Region of Ghana. The Northeast Region, one of the six new regions established nationwide in 2018, has its administrative headquarters in Nalerigu.
Walewale is a town and the capital of Mamprusi West Municipal in the North East Region of Ghana. The West Mamprusi Municipal is one of the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana, and forms part of the 6 MMDAs in the North East Region. The West Mamprusi Municipality is one of 45 new districts created in 1988 under the Government of Ghana’s decentralization and was later replaced with LI 2061 in 2012. With its administrative capital as Walewale.
Gambaga is the capital of the East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly in the North East Region of Ghana. Once a residence of Mamprusi-kings it is still the capital of East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly, a municipality in the North East Region of Ghana. It is home to several ancient Mossi chiefs' gravesites.
Hajia Alima Mahama is Ghana's first female ambassador to the US. She is a lawyer and was from January 2005 to January 2009 Minister for the affairs of women and children in Ghana under President John Kufuor. She was also the Ghanaian Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, appointed into office by President of Ghana Nana Akuffo-Addo on 10 January 2017 to 7 January 2021. Hajia Alima also served as the Member of Parliament for Nalerigu/Gambaga constituency and a member of the New Patriotic Party in the 7th Parliament of the 4th Republic.
The Oti Region is one of the six newly created regions of Ghana in December 2018. The region was carved out of the northern part of the Volta Region and will be in fulfillment of a campaign promise made by New Patriotic Party. Prior to the 2016 Ghanaian general election, the then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo declared that when elected, he would explore the possibility of creating new regions out of some of the existing regions in Ghana in order to bring government closer to citizens. The Region was inaugurated on May 14, 2019. It has Dambai as its Regional Capital. The people of Oti region have for more than 60 years always wanted to have a region of their own before its creation in 2018 by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government in December 2018.
The Ahafo Region is a newly created region in Ghana with Goaso as its capital. The region has administrative and governmental legislature like all the ten already existing regions in Ghana. The region was carved out of the south-eastern part of the Brong Ahafo Region and was in fulfillment of a campaign promise made by New Patriotic Party. Prior to the 2016 Ghanaian general election, the then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo declared that when elected, he would explore the possibility of creating new regions out of some of the existing regions in Ghana in order to bring government closer to citizens.
The Savannah Region is one of the newest regions of Ghana and yet the largest region in the country. The creation of the Region follows presentation of a petition by the Gonja Traditional Council, led by the Yagbonwura Tumtumba Boresa Jakpa I. Upon receiving favourable responses from all stakeholders in the Northern Region, the Brobbey Commission, a referendum was conducted on the 27th December 2018. The result was a resounding yes of 99.7%. The President of the Republic of Ghana signed and presented the Constitutional Instrument (CI) 115 to the Yagbonwura in the Jubilee House, Accra on 12 February 2019. The launch was well attended by sons and daughters of Gonjaland including all current and past Mps, MDCEs and all appointees with Gonjaland descent. Damongo was declared the capital of the new Savannah Region. It is located in the north of the country. The Savannah Region is divided into 7 districts; Bole, Central Gonja, North Gonja, East Gonja, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba, West Gonja, North East Gonja and 7 Constituencies; Bole/Bamboi, Damongo, Daboya/Mankarigu, Salaga North, Salaga South, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba and Yapei/Kusawgu. The capital of Bole district is Bole; East Gonja municipal is Salaga; West Gonja district is Damango; Sawla Tuna Kalba district is Salwa; Central Gonja is Buipe; North Gonja is Daboya; and North East Gonja is Kpalbe
The Western North Region is one of the six new regions of Ghana created in 2019. The region is bounded by the Ivory Coast on the west, the Central region in the southeast, and the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono East and Bono regions in the north. The Western North Region has the highest rainfall in Ghana, lush green hills, and fertile soils. There are numerous small and large-scale gold mines companies in the region. The ethnic culture of the region is dominated by the Sefwis. The main languages spoken are Sefwi, Akan, French and English.
The Bono region is one of the 16 administrative regions of Ghana. It is as a result of the remainder of Brong-Ahafo region when Bono East region and Ahafo region were created. Sunyani, also known as the green city of Ghana, is the regional capital. Sunyani can pride itself as the cleanest capital city and a major conference destination.
The Bono East region of Ghana is a new region carved out of the Brong Ahafo region. The capital of the new region is Techiman. This creation of this new region was in fulfillment of a promise made by the New Patriotic Party prior to the 2016 Ghana general election. Upon winning the elections, the President, Nana Akuffo Addo created the Ministry of Regional Reorganization to oversee policy formulation and implementation. In all six new regions are to be created from the existing ten regions of Ghana. The other regions are Bono, Western North, Ahafo, Savannah, North East, and Oti regions.
Bunkpurugu-Nyankpanduri District is one of the six districts in North East Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District on 19 August 2004, which was created from the former Mamprusi District Council, until the southern part of the district was split off to create Yunyoo-Nasuan District on 15 March 2018; thus the remaining part has been renamed as Bunkpurugu-Nyankpanduri District. The district assembly was located in the northeast part of Northern Region and had Bunkpurugu as its capital town.
Places adjacent to North East Region, Ghana | ||||||||||||||||
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