Stories and facts

However, a significant development occurred on February 29, 2008, when the northern portion of the district was carved out to form the distinct Chereponi District. Consequently, the remaining portion was rebranded as the Saboba District, which now forms part of the Northern Region. The administrative hub of Chereponi District is the town of Chereponi.

Population Dynamics and Composition

Based on data from the 2010 Population and Housing Census, Chereponi District is home to a population of 53,394 individuals, representing 5.2 percent of the entire regional population. The gender distribution showcases a nearly equal split, with females constituting 50.9 percent and males representing 49.1 percent of the population. A noteworthy statistic is that 85 percent of the inhabitants reside in rural areas. The sex ratio within the district is 96.4, underscoring a slight male predominance. The district's age composition reveals a youthful population structure, where 50.3 percent of individuals are below the age of 15. Meanwhile, elderly individuals (60 years and older) account for 5.6 percent, depicting a pyramid-like distribution. The overall age dependency ratio for the district stands at 118.7. It's important to note that this ratio is higher in rural locales (126.4) compared to urban areas (83.2) within the district.

Fertility, Mortality, and Migration Patterns

Chereponi District demonstrates distinct patterns in fertility, mortality, and migration. The Total Fertility Rate is measured at 4.3, and the General Fertility Rate is noteworthy at 128.3 births per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, ranking second highest among the districts in the Northern region. The Crude Birth Rate stands at 28.0, while the Crude Death Rate is 5.4 deaths per 1000 individuals. Of all recorded deaths, 8.7 percent are attributed to accidents, violence, homicide, or suicide, while the remaining 91.3 percent result from other causes. Migration data reveals that 54.1 percent of migrants in the district were born in regions outside Chereponi, while 45.9 percent hail from other areas within the Northern Region. Interestingly, among those originating from regions beyond the district, the highest proportion (62.0%) were born outside Ghana, with the Volta region contributing 12.2 percent.

Household Characteristics

Chereponi District's households exhibit distinctive characteristics. The district accommodates a household population of 53,170 individuals across 7,116 households. The average household size mirrors the regional average, standing at approximately 8 individuals per household. Children constitute the largest segment within households, accounting for 55.7 percent of the district's total household population. Non-relatives, on the other hand, represent a minor proportion of the household makeup. Extended households, consisting of the head, spouse(s), children, and head's relatives, dominate at 63.3 percent, followed by nuclear households (head, spouse(s), and children) at 24.5 percent of the total household population.

Marital Status and Demographics

Within Chereponi District, marital status exhibits distinct patterns. Around 56.0 percent of individuals aged 12 years and older are married, while 37.0 percent have never married. A minor percentage are in consensual unions (1.0 percent), widowed (5.0 percent), or either divorced or separated (1.0 percent). Marital trends vary with age, with 88.0 percent of females aged 25-29 being married compared to 53.7 percent of males in the same age bracket. Among those aged 65 and above, widowed females constitute a significant 56.5 percent, while widowed males account for 5.6 percent. Educational disparities among the married and unmarried are evident, with 88.1 percent of the married having no formal education, and around 43.0 percent of the unmarried falling within the same category. A substantial majority (85.3%) of the married population is engaged in employment, while 3.5 percent are unemployed, and 11.2 percent are economically inactive. Among the never-married, 51.5 percent are economically inactive, and 2.3 percent are unemployed.

Nationality and Literacy

In terms of nationality, the majority (93.3 percent) of Chereponi District's population is Ghanaian by birth. Those who have undergone naturalization constitute 1.1 percent, and non-Ghanaians comprise 3.2 percent of the total population. Turning to literacy and education, 70.5 percent of individuals aged 11 years and above are non-literates, while the remaining 29.5 percent are literate. Notably, a higher proportion of males (36.2%) are literate compared to females (23.5%). Approximately a quarter (24.6%) of the population aged 3 years and above can read and write both English and Ghanaian languages. Additionally, 60.6 percent of individuals in the district aged 3 years and above have never attended school, 33.0 percent are currently attending, and 6.4 percent have attended in the past.

Economic Activity and Occupation

Chereponi District displays distinct economic activity and occupation profiles. Approximately 77.3 percent of individuals aged 15 years and older are economically active, with the remaining 23.7 percent being economically inactive. Within the economically active population, 95.6 percent are employed, while 4.4 percent are unemployed. Among the economically inactive, the largest proportions (46.6 percent) are students, followed by those engaged in household duties (24.3%) and individuals who are disabled or too sick to work (4.1 percent). Notably, 70.6 percent of the unemployed are actively seeking employment for the first time. Examining occupation, a significant portion (87.4 percent) of the employed population is categorized as skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers. About 5 percent are engaged in service and sales, 3.8 percent in craft and related trades, and 2.5 percent as managers, professionals, and technicians.

Employment Status and Sector

Analyzing employment status and sectoral distribution, 61.2 percent of the population aged 15 years and older are self-employed without employees. Contributing family workers constitute 32.3 percent, while casual workers and domestic employees (house helps) make up 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. Men predominate across various employment categories, including employees, self-employed without employees, self-employed with employees, and casual workers. Females, however, have a higher representation in contributing family workers, apprenticeships, domestic employees, and other categories. The private informal sector emerges as the principal employer in the district, encompassing 96.6 percent of the population, followed by the public sector at 2.2 percent.