Stories and facts

The inception of the Ketu North Municipal dates back to the 29th of February, 2008, when it emerged as an independent entity, separate from the then-existing Ketu District. This transformation was legally formalized through the enactment of Legislative Instrument (LI) 1841 of 2008.

Location and Boundaries

The Ketu North Municipal is positioned between Latitudes 6° 03'N and 6° 20'N, as well as Longitudes 0° 49'E and 1° 05'E. Its administrative headquarters is situated in Dzodze, a town approximately 80 kilometres to the south of Ho, which serves as the regional capital.

At the core of the municipal structure are four Traditional Paramount Chiefs, each holding sway in Dzodze, Penyi, Afife, and Weta. Notably, these Paramount Chiefs collaborate closely to propel the implementation of numerous development initiatives. The municipal boundaries are aligned with the Republic of Togo to the east, the Akatsi North District to the west, and the Ketu South Municipal to the south.

Demographic Composition and Characteristics

In terms of population size and composition, the Ketu North District reported a population of 99,913, representing approximately 4.7 percent of the total regional population, as documented by the 2010 Population and Housing Census. Within this population, males account for 46.5 percent, while females constitute 53.5 percent. Notably, a significant portion of 65.8 percent of the population resides in rural areas. The sex ratio for the district stands at 87.2. The age structure reflects a youthful population, with 43.0 percent falling within the youth category, while only 6.5 percent are elderly individuals. The overall age dependency ratio for the district is 82.3, with a higher ratio for males (87.3) compared to females (77.8).

Fertility, Mortality, and Migration Patterns

The Total Fertility Rate for the district is measured at 3.4. The General Fertility Rate is particularly noteworthy at 99.1 births per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, ranking among the highest in the region. Indicative of this trend, the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) registers at 24.4 per 1000 population. In terms of mortality, the district records a crude death rate of 9.1 per 1000. The highest death rate for males is observed in the 70 and above age group, with 42 deaths per 1000 population, while for females, the corresponding rate is 25 deaths per 1000 population in the 65-69 age bracket. The migration pattern reveals that a substantial portion (65.9 percent) of the district's residents were born within the Volta Region, while 25.1 percent originated from other regions, including Greater Accra, Eastern, and Ashanti.

Household Dynamics

The district is characterized by a household population of 98,571, distributed across 26,437 households. The average household size is reported at 3.7 persons. Among the household structure, children represent the largest segment at 40.2 percent, followed by spouses at 9.9 percent. Nuclear households, comprising a head, spouse(s), and children, make up 28.0 percent of the total households in the district.

Marital Status and Educational Attainment

Marital status reveals that 46.1 percent of the population aged 12 and above are married, 36.0 percent have never married, 10.0 percent are in consensual unions, 4.4 percent are widowed, and 3.2 percent are divorced. Notably, among the age group 25-29, 58.7 percent of females are married, compared to 34.9 percent of males. In the 65 and above age bracket, widowed females constitute 62.0 percent, while widowed males account for 14.1 percent. Among the married individuals, 38.8 percent have no formal education, and 7.9 percent of the unmarried have never attended school. Significantly, 85.6 percent of the married population are employed, with 1.7 percent unemployed and 12.6 percent not economically active. Within the unmarried category, 66.5 percent are not economically active, with an unemployment rate of 2.2 percent.

Nationality, Literacy, and Employment

A substantial majority of 81.4 percent of the district's population are Ghanaian citizens by birth, while naturalized citizens account for 4.5 percent, and non-Ghanaians represent 0.5 percent. In terms of literacy, 69.5 percent of individuals aged 11 and above are literate, with a higher literacy rate among males at 83.7 percent compared to females at 57.8 percent. Communication skills are strong, with 71.5 percent of the population indicating proficiency in both English and Ghanaian languages. Among the population aged 3 and above (110,282), 27.9 percent have never attended school, 37.7 percent are currently attending, and 34.4 percent have previous educational experience. Economically, 70.2 percent of individuals aged 15 and above are engaged in economic activities, while 29.8 percent are not economically active. Among the economically active group, 97.2 percent are employed, and 2.8 percent are unemployed. Those not economically active primarily include students (47.7 percent) and individuals involved in household duties (20.3 percent), while 7.6 percent are disabled or medically unfit for work.

Occupational Distribution and Employment Sector

Of the employed population, 47.1 percent are skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers, 16.7 percent are engaged in service and sales, 19.8 percent are in craft and related trades, and 6.5 percent hold positions as managers, professionals, and technicians. In terms of employment status and sector, 77.3 percent of the population aged 15 and above are self-employed without employees, 8.0 percent are contributing family workers, 1.9 percent are casual workers, and 0.5 percent are domestic employees. Notably, men dominate each employment category, except for self-employed individuals without employees, contributing family workers, and apprentices. The private informal sector is a major employer in the district, providing livelihoods for 93.3 percent of the population, followed by the public sector at 4.2 percent.

In summation, the Ketu North Municipal is a distinctive administrative entity within Ghana, shaped by its historical evolution, demographic attributes, and economic dynamics. As an integral component of the Volta Region, its unique characteristics contribute to the rich tapestry of Ghana's administrative landscape.