Stories and facts
On February 29th, 2008, it was elevated to the status of a municipal district assembly and became known as the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District. This district is located in the southwestern part of the Central Region, with Elmina serving as its capital town.
The Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality was carved out as an independent entity from the Cape Coast Metropolis, following the guidelines stated in LI 1857. The KEEA Municipal Assembly consists of fifty-four members, comprising thirty-seven elected and seventeen appointed members, along with a Chief Executive and one Member of Parliament. The assembly is further subdivided into six Zonal Councils, which are Komenda, Elmina, Ntranoa, Eguafo, Ayensudo, and Kissi Zonal Councils. Several decentralized departments operate within the district, though Feeder and Urban roads are exceptions to this arrangement.
The municipality is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Guinea) to the south, the Cape Coast Metropolis to the east, the Twifo-Hemang-Lower Denkyira District to the north, and the Mpohor – Wassa East District to the west. Covering an area of 372.45 square kilometers (919.95 square miles), it is situated between longitude 10°20' West and 10°40' West and latitude 5°05' North and 5°50' North.
As of the 2000 Population and Housing Census (PHC), the district had a population of 112,435, accounting for approximately 7.1% of the Central Region's total population. By the 2010 PHC report, the population had increased to 144,705. The population consists of 69,665 males and 75,040 females, with approximately 35% living in urban areas. The district's average household size is four people, and there are several major towns, including Elmina, Komenda, Kissi, and Agona Abrem.
The KEEA Municipality's economy is primarily centered around agriculture, with fishing and crop farming being the dominant activities. The service and industrial sectors also play supporting roles. Agriculture employs about 85% of the economically active population, with fishing accounting for 54.5% and farming for 10.9%. Services make up 21.9% (including commerce and others), and the industrial sector contributes 12.7%. Tourism has potential as a growing sector in the municipality, but it requires infrastructure improvements and increased investments.
The KEEA Municipality has a structured health service system, with facilities provided by both the government and private institutions, offering services at the community, sub-district, and district levels. The municipality faces challenges in waste management, especially with solid waste, which requires attention to improve the tourism sector. Education is considered a fundamental tool for socio-economic development in KEEA, with efforts needed to improve affordability, accessibility, and quality of the educational system. Literacy rates have improved, but there is still room for further enhancement.
The Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District in Ghana is characterized by its reliance on agriculture, particularly fishing and crop farming, while tourism holds potential for further development. The district faces challenges in waste management and education but is making strides towards progress and development.
