Savannah Region

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Savannah Region
Region
Larabanga Mosque05.jpg
Larabanga Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in West Africa
Savannah in Ghana 2018.svg
Location of Savannah Region in Ghana
Country Ghana
Capital Damongo
Districts6
Government
 •  Regional Minister Saeed Muhazu Jibril
Area
[1] [2]
 • Total35,862 km2 (13,846 sq mi)
Population
 (2021 Census) [3]
 • Total653,266 [4]
Time zone GMT
Area code 037
ISO 3166 code GH-SV

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 region it was broken off from), the Brobbey Commission (the Commission tasked with the creation of the new regions), a referendum was conducted on the 27th December 2018. [5] 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. [6] 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. [7] [8] 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 [9]

Contents

History

A referendum on 27 December 2018 [10] approved the creation of Savannah Region, with 206,350 (99.52%) votes in favour on a turnout of 81.77%. [11] [12] [13] CI 115 establishing the Region signed and presented on 12 February 2019. [14]

Geography and climate

Location and size.

The Savannah Region is bordered on the north by the Upper West region, on the west by the Ghana-Côte d'Ivoire international border, on the south by the Bono and Bono East regions, and on the west by the North East and Northern regions. Savannah region is made up of 7 districts.

Notable Health Facilities

Climate and vegetation

The Savannah 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 July 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 14 °C (59 °F) at night and 40 °C (104 °F) during the day.

Tourism & Parks

Elephants at Mole National Park Elefant Ghana.jpg
Elephants at Mole National Park

Business and Investment

It is one of the main grain and tuber producing areas in Ghana. Harnessing these particularly will help to create employment and reduce poverty. The Region has about 2.69 million hectares of land under cropping and livestock rearing.

It has unique climatic and soil characteristic making the area ideal for growing of pineapples (number one non- traditional export crop in Ghana), yams ( second most important non-traditional export crop) cassava and maize.

Demographics

The Savannah Region has a low population density, and along with the official language of English, most inhabitants speak a language of the Oti–Volta subfamily in the Niger–Congo language family, such as Gonja, Vagla, Dagbani, Mamprusi,Tampulma.


Economy

Religion

A majority of residents in the Savanna Region identify as Muslim. [18]

Educational institutions

Administrative divisions

The political administration of the region is through the local government system. Under this administration system, the region is divided into seven MMDA's (made up of 0 Metropolitan, 2 Municipal and 5 Ordinary Assemblies). [25] 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 Savannah Region Districts of the Savannah Region (2018).png
Districts of the Savannah Region
Districts of the Savannah Region
#MMDA NameCapitalMMDA Type
1 Bole Bole Ordinary
2 Central Gonja Buipe Ordinary
3 North Gonja Daboya Ordinary
4 East Gonja [26] Salaga Municipal
5 North East Gonja Kpalbe Ordinary
6 Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Sawla Ordinary
7 West Gonja [27] Damongo Municipal

Famous citizens

Famous native citizens of Savannah region
#CitizenSettlement
1 John Dramani Mahama Bole
2 Lepowura M.N.D Jawula Salaga
3 Ibrahim Mahama Bole

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Districts of Ghana</span> Second-level administrative subdivisions of Ghana

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper West Region</span> Region of Ghana

The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the north-western corner of Ghana and is bordered by Upper East Region to the east, Northern Region to the south, and Burkina Faso to the west and north. The Upper West regional capital and largest settlement is Wa. The Upper West was created by the then Head of State, Jerry Rawlings in 1983 under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) military regime. The area was carved out of the former Upper Region, which is now the Upper East Region. For about thirty-five years, it remained the youngest region of Ghana until 2018 when six more regions were created by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government; hence increasing the total number of administrative regions in the country to sixteen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salaga</span> Town in Savannah Region, Ghana

Salaga is a town and is the capital of East Gonja district, a district in the Savannah Region of north Ghana. Salaga had a 2012 settlement population of 25,472 people. Salaga was the largest slave market in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Bole is a small town and is the capital of Bole district, a district in the Savannah Region of northern Ghana. Bole is connected by road to the town of Sawla and the town of Bamboi. Bole is home to the Bole District Hospital and post office. The Bole District covers an area of 4800 km2 land mass and has a population of about 87,656.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Gonja Municipal District</span> Municipal District in Savannah region, Ghana

East Gonja Municipal Assembly is one of the seven districts in Savannah Region, Ghana. Originally created as an ordinary district assembly in 1988 when it was known as East Gonja District, until the eastern part of the district was split off by a decree of president John Agyekum Kufuor on 29 February 2008 to create Kpandai District ; thus the remaining part has been retained as East Gonja District. Later, it was elevated to municipal district assembly status on 15 March 2018 to become East Gonja Municipal District. However on 19 February 2019, the northern part of the district was later split off to create North East Gonja District; thus remaining part has been retained as East Gonja Municipal District. The municipality is located in the eastern part of Savannah Region and has Salaga as its capital town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Gonja District</span> District in Savannah, Ghana

Central Gonja District is one of the seven districts in Savannah Region, Ghana. The Black Volta forms the southern boundary of Central Gonja with Kintampo North District, and the White Volta flows north to south splitting the district in two. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger West Gonja District on 23 December 1988, until the part of the district was split off by a decree of president John Agyekum Kufuor in August 2004 to create Central Gonja District; thus the remaining part has been retained as West Gonja Municipal District. The district assembly is located in the central part of Savannah Region and has Buipe as its capital town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District</span> District in Savannah, Ghana

Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District is one of the seven districts in Savannah Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Bole District in 1988, until the northern part of the district was split off by a decree of president John Agyekum Kufuor on 27 August 2004 to create Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District; thus the remaining part has been retained as Bole District. The district assembly is located in the western part of Savannah Region and has Sawla as its capital town.

Buipe is a small town and the capital of Central Gonja District, in the Savannah Region of northern Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damongo</span> Regional Capital of Savannah Region, Ghana

Damongo is a town and the capital of West Gonja Municipal. It was declared the capital of the Savannah Region on 12 February, 2019. Damongo is home to Bikunuto Jewu Soale I, the paramount chief of the Gonja Kingdom. The languages spoken in Damongo include Gonja, Vagla, Hanga, Dagaare, Waale, Frafra, Kasim, Twi, Ewe, and Hausa. Damongo is renowned for hosting the prestigious Yagbon Skin.

Bimbilla is the capital town of Nanumba North District, a district in the Northern Region of Ghana. It is located in the East of the region, and is near the Oti River. The location is situated within the range of 8.5° north to 9.25° north latitude, and between 0.57° east to 0.5° east longitude. It borders five municipalities: Yendi Municipal to the north, Mion Municipal to the northwest, East Gonja Municipal to the west and southwest, Nanumba South Municipal to the south and east, and Zabzugu Municipal to the north-northeast.

Daboya is the capital of the North Gonja district, a district in the Savannah Region of north Ghana. It was previously called Burugu by the Dagomba people. It was important in the trade route the stretched from Yendi to Bouna. This made Daboya one of the most important towns in Dagbon as at then. Today Daboya is represented by the Daboya-Mankarigu constituency. It is considered a historical place in Ghana. There is an Army Special Operations Training School at Daboya.

Michael Abu Sakara Foster is a Ghanaian agronomist and politician. He was the candidate of the Convention People's Party for the Ghanaian presidential election in December 2012.

The N7 or National Highway 7 is a national highway in Ghana that begins at Sawla where it intersects N12 and runs east through Larabanga to Fufulso where it also intersects N10 in the Savannah Region. It is also named the Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla Road after the settlements the road crosses. Its construction commenced in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salaga North (Ghana parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in Ghana

Salaga North 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. The Salaga North constituency is located in the East Gonja district of the Savannah Region of Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salaga South (Ghana parliament constituency)</span> Constituency in Ghana

Salaga 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. The Salaga South constituency is located in the East Gonja district of the Savannah Region of Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daboya-Mankarigu (Ghana parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in Ghana

Daboya-Mankarigu is one of the constituencies represented in the Parliament of Ghana. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by a first past the post system of election. The Daboya-Mankarigu constituency is located in the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region of Ghana. Mahama Asei Seini was elected as a member of parliament for the constituency on the ticket of New Patriotic Party during the 2020 Ghanaian general election.

Alex Seidu Sofo was a Ghanaian politician. He served as a member of parliament for the Damango-Daboya constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bole Mosque</span> Mosque in Bole, Savannah, Ghana

Bole Mosque was located in the center of Bole in the West Gonja District which is now in the Savannah region, formally Northern region in Ghana. Due to torrential rain in September 2023, the structure which was already infected with termites, has finally collapsed.

Kpalbe or Palbe is a town in the Savannah Region of Ghana. It is the capital of the North East Gonja District.

Salaga Senior High School, also known by its acronym SASS is a second-cycle co-education institution located in Salaga, the district capital of Central Gonja Municipal in the Savannah Region of Ghana. It is a grade C school with the motto "Truth Stands". It was established in September 1976 and has an enrolment of 1800 students which are mixed day students and boarders.

References

  1. ↑ "Northern Region". GhanaDistricts.com. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  2. ↑ "Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana". GhanaDistricts.com. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  3. ↑ Ghana: Administrative Division
  4. ↑ "Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana".
  5. ↑ "2.2million Ghanaians dey vote Yes or No for creation of six new regions". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  6. ↑ "SAVANNAH REGION – LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE" . Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Zoure, Stephen (27 December 2018). "Mahama votes in referendum for proposed Savannah Region in Bole". MyNewsGH. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  8. ↑ "'Savannah will soon catch-up with other regions' - Akufo-Addo assures". Citi Newsroom. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "SAVANNAH REGION – LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE" . Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Referendum: Massive YES votes for 6 new regions | General News 2018-12-28". www.ghanaweb.com. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  11. ↑ "All six proposed regions meet constitutional threshold requirements – EC". Ghana Business News. 29 December 2018.
  12. ↑ Zurek, Kweku (28 December 2018). "CONFIRMED: Results of the 2018 Referendum on new regions". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  13. ↑ "Referendum: 6 new regions get massive 'YES' votes". www.pulse.com.gh. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  14. ↑ "Savannah Region will benefit from her natural resource deposits – Akufo-Addo". 12 February 2019.
  15. ↑ "Bui National Park". Ghana Wildlife Division. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  16. ↑ Haun, William (24 July 2018). "Ghana's Historic Mosques: Larabanga". Hauns in Africa. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  17. ↑ Haun, William (11 May 2018). "Visiting the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary". Hauns in Africa. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  18. ↑ Table 4.17: Population by religious affiliation and region, 2010
  19. ↑ "Assistant Headmaster of Bole SHS arrested for alleged rape". Graphic Online. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  20. ↑ "Students of Buipe SHS sent home after fire gutted girls' dormitories". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  21. ↑ "Damongo Senior High School Archives - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  22. ↑ Amoh, Emmanuel Kwame (23 July 2020). "Salaga SHS gets boys' dormitory, classroom block". 3NEWS.com. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "Senior High Schools in Savannah Region of Ghana". schoolsInGh. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  24. ↑ "Daboya Community Day School | SchoolsInGh.com". schoolsInGh. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  25. ↑ "Northern". GhanaDistricts.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  26. ↑ "MP redeems campaign pledge in donating brand new motorcycles - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  27. ↑ "Driver's 'mate' feared dead in accident at Damongo - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 19 May 2021.

9°05′N1°49′W / 9.083°N 1.817°W / 9.083; -1.817

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