Stories and facts

This division left behind what is now recognized as the West Mamprusi District. This evolution continued on 15 March 2018, when it was elevated to municipal district assembly status, becoming the West Mamprusi Municipal District. Strategically situated in the western sector of the North East Region, its administrative center is Walewale, while other notable settlements within its jurisdiction include Wulugu.

Population Dynamics and Composition

According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the West Mamprusi District was home to a population of 121,117, which constituted 4.9 percent of the region's total inhabitants. Within this demographic, males represented 49.2 percent and females accounted for 50.8 percent. The district's population distribution showed that 63.2 percent resided in rural areas, with the remaining 36.8 percent residing in urban locales. The sex ratio stood at 96.8, slightly favoring females. The age structure depicted a youthful population, with 46.2 percent below the age of 15. However, the elderly, aged 60 years or older, constituted only 6.5 percent of the population. The district's total age dependency ratio was calculated at 102.6, with a higher ratio for males (109.8) compared to females (96.1).

Fertility, Mortality, and Migration Patterns

The Total Fertility Rate for the district was determined to be 3.8 children per woman. This was reflected in the General Fertility Rate of 111.9 births per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, ranking among the lowest in the region. The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) measured 25.4 per 1000 population, while the district's Crude Death Rate reached 7.9 per 1000, surpassing the regional average of 5.9 per 1000. Migration within the region indicated that 51.8 percent of migrants were born in the broader Northern Region, whereas 48.2 percent originated from other regions. Among the latter group, 36.6 percent were born in the Upper East Region, and 22.6 percent were born outside of Ghana.

Household Structure and Composition

Within the West Mamprusi District, the household population amounted to 119,595, distributed among 14,432 households. Each household accommodated an average of 8.4 individuals. The household structure was characterized by children, constituting 49.5 percent, while heads of households accounted for 12.1 percent. The extended family arrangement, encompassing the head, spouse(s), children, and relatives, encompassed 61.7 percent of all households.

Marital Status and Diversity

Marital status distribution revealed that 57.4 percent of individuals aged 12 years and above were married, while 35.9 percent had never been married. By the age of 20-24 years, approximately 65 percent of females were married, in contrast to around 29 percent of males. In the elder age bracket of 65 and above, widowed females constituted 50.8 percent, while widowed males accounted for a mere 6.6 percent. Among the married population, 78.6 percent had received no formal education, and 29.4 percent of the never-married segment had not attended school. In terms of economic activity, 76.7 percent of married individuals were employed, while 1.8 percent were unemployed, and 21.5 percent were not economically active. Comparatively, a larger proportion (58.3%) of the never-married population was not economically active, with 39.9 percent employed and 1.7 percent unemployed.

Diversity of Nationality and Religious Affiliation

The West Mamprusi District was predominantly composed of Ghanaians by birth, constituting 93.2 percent of the population. The district also hosted a percentage of individuals with dual nationality (2.8 percent) and naturalized citizens (1.1 percent), with non-Ghanaians accounting for 3.0 percent.

Religiously, the district was primarily aligned with Islam, encompassing 79.4 percent of the population. Christians represented the second-largest religious group at 15.6 percent, followed by adherents of the Traditional religion at 3.7 percent. Individuals with no religious affiliation constituted 1.0 percent of the district's populace.

Literacy and Educational Attainment

Among individuals aged 11 years and older, 39.9 percent possessed literacy skills, while 60.1 percent were not literate. The gender disparity in literacy was evident, with 46.4 percent of males being literate compared to 33.8 percent of females. The majority of the literate population demonstrated proficiency in reading and writing both in English and a Ghanaian language (56.5%). Within the literate segment, 40.0 percent exhibited competence in English. For those aged 3 years and above, 48.7 percent had never attended school, 41.4 percent were currently attending, and 9.9 percent had previously attended. Notably, the proportion of females who had never attended school (53.6%) exceeded that of males (43.6%). Of those presently attending school, 50.6 percent were in primary education, and 17.2 percent were enrolled in junior high school (JHS).

Economic Activity and Occupation

Approximately 67.7 percent of individuals aged 15 years and older were engaged in economic activities, with the remaining 32.3 percent not actively participating. Among the economically active population, 97.0 percent were employed, while 3.0 percent were unemployed. Nearly half (48.3%) of the unemployed were first-time job seekers. The employment distribution demonstrated that slightly more males (97.6%) than females (96.4%) were employed. The economically inactive segment consisted largely of students (40.5%), followed by those engaged in household duties (34.7%).

Within the employed population, 80.7 percent were employed as skilled workers in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, 6.8 percent in service and sales roles, and 5.8 percent in craft and related trades. The distribution revealed a greater percentage of males (86.1%) engaged in skilled agricultural work, while more females (10.8%) were employed in service and sales roles.

Sectoral Distribution of Employment

The sectoral distribution of employment indicated that 77.8 percent of individuals were employed in the agricultural sector, followed by 16.8 percent in the service sector, and 5.4 percent in the industry sector. This distribution revealed that a higher proportion of males were employed in agriculture (82.9 percent), while more females were employed in both the service (19.7 percent) and industry (7.8 percent) sectors.

Employment Status and Sector Preferences

Among the employed population aged 15 years and older, 60.0 percent were self-employed without employees, 31.1 percent were contributing family workers, and 4.9 percent were employees. Males demonstrated a greater tendency to be self-employed with employees and employees, while females were more inclined to be contributing family workers. The private informal sector emerged as the district's largest employer, engaging 95.8 percent of the working population. The public sector accounted for 3.1 percent of employment. Notably, a higher percentage of males (4.3%) were employed in the public sector, while more females (97.1%) found employment in the private informal sector.

The West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly showcases a distinctive blend of demographic attributes, socio-economic dynamics, and cultural affiliations. With a rich history and evolving administrative status, the district has become an integral part of the North East Region's landscape. From population composition to employment trends, the district's profile offers insights into its vibrant and diverse community.