Stories and facts

Situated in the southwestern reaches of the Ashanti Region, the district is positioned between longitudes 2o00’W and 2o32’W and latitudes 6o32’N and 6o75’N, encompassing a land area spanning 1,883.2 square kilometres.

Demographic Overview

The populace of the Atwima Mponua District, as gleaned from the 2010 Population and Housing Census, registers at 119,180 individuals, equating to 2.5 percent of the total regional population. Gender distribution portrays 51.3 percent as males and 48.7 percent as females. Predominantly, approximately 87.6 percent of this population resides in rural localities. An intriguing facet is the sex ratio, denoting 105.2 males for every 100 females. The district's population structure embodies a youthful contour, with those under 15 years constituting 42.8 percent, while the elderly (aged 60 years and above) represent a smaller segment. The aggregate age dependency ratio, expressing the dependent population concerning the working-age cohort, emerges as 89.8, where the female age dependency ratio (90.3) slightly surpasses that of males (89.3).

Fertility, Mortality, and Migration

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for the district stands at 4.6. The General Fertility Rate (GFR), standing at 141.5 births per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, ranks as the fourth highest across the region. Indicating birth prevalence, the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) corresponds to 31.5 per 1000 population. On the other hand, the Crude Death Rate (CDR) for the district rests at 5.4 per 1000. Notably, deaths arising from accidents, violence, homicide, or suicide encompass 12.4 percent, while other causes contribute to the remaining 87.6 percent. Migration patterns reveal that a majority of migrants (53.7%) within the district hail from different regions within Ghana. The Upper East region represents the largest source (13.6%), followed by the Northern (9.7%) and Brong Ahafo (9.6%) regions.

Household Dynamics

The Atwima Mponua District is home to a household population of 118,043, distributed among 26,149 households. The average household size tallies at 4.5 individuals. Children occupy the largest share, comprising 44.4 percent, while spouses constitute around 11.7 percent. Notably, nuclear households, encompassing the head, spouse(s), and children, constitute 33.2 percent of the district's total households.

Marital Landscape

Regarding marital status, 44.4 percent of individuals aged 12 years and older are married, with 35.9 percent having never married. Additionally, 11.9 percent are in consensual unions, 4.1 percent are widowed, 4.0 percent are divorced, and 1.7 percent are separated. An age-based breakdown reveals that approximately 60.0 percent of females aged 25-29 are married, compared to just above one-third of males (36.1%). At age 65 and above, 51.7 percent of females are widowed, while widowed males account for a smaller 9.1 percent. Noteworthy is the educational dimension; 42.8 percent of the married populace lack formal education, with a corresponding 10.4 percent among the never-married. Among the married, 91.1 percent are employed, while 2.4 percent are unemployed, and 7.7 percent are economically inactive. In contrast, a significant proportion (60.4%) of the never-married are economically inactive, with 3.4 percent unemployed.

Nationality and Literacy

Regarding nationality, the district's composition entails 95.8 percent Ghanaian-born individuals. Those who have undergone naturalization represent 0.6 percent, while the non-Ghanaian populace accounts for 4.2 percent. In terms of literacy, 70.6 percent of individuals aged 11 years and above exhibit literacy, with males (56.2%) surpassing females (43.8%). Of note, 68.2 percent of individuals aged 3 years and above possess the ability to read and write in both English and Ghanaian languages.

Educational Participation

Among those aged 3 years and above (a total of 43,633 individuals) within the district, 25.3 percent have never attended school, 40.4 percent are currently attending, and 34.3 percent have previously attended.

Economic Activity and Occupation

The district's economic landscape highlights that 79.7 percent of individuals aged 15 years and older engage in economic activities, while 20.3 percent are economically inactive. Of the economically active segment, 96.9 percent are employed, and 3.1 percent are unemployed. For the economically inactive group, a notable 56.1 percent are students, 20.3 percent are occupied with household duties, and 6.4 percent face disabilities or illness. Among the unemployed, 72.7 percent are actively seeking employment for the first time. Occupationally, approximately 79.0 percent of the employed are skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers, 6.4 percent are in service and sales, 6.2 percent participate in craft and related trades, and 4.2 percent are categorized as managers, professionals, and technicians.

Employment Status and Sector

Regarding employment status, individuals aged 15 years and older demonstrate diverse roles: 62.9 percent are self-employed without employees, 21.0 percent contribute as family workers, 3.1 percent are casual laborers, and 0.3 percent work as domestic employees. Men dominate each employment category, barring apprenticeships. The private informal sector serves as the district's principal employer, engaging 96.1 percent of the populace, followed by the public sector at 2.4 percent.