The
economy of the Atiwa District can be analyzed under four (4) broad categories
namely; Agriculture, Industry, Trading and services. Agriculture remains the dominant sector and
employs about 60% of the labour force.
This is followed by the mining Sector which employs about 66%.
Trading,
that is buying and selling employs 13.4% of the labour force. The service sector comprising transportation,
hair dressing and dress making, hospitality and other activities, employs about
20% of the labour force. There are small
and medium scale industries in the district.
The industrial sector is dominated by small-scale manufacturing
activities, which range from Gari Processing, Oil Palm Extraction, Mining, Saw
Mills etc.
TABLE: STRUCTURE OF THE DISTRICT ECONOMY
i.
It has been
observed that the District exceeds its target.
This could attribute to lack of realistic data base for effective
budgeting. The assembly always adopted
the incremental budgeting strategy.
Measures such as completion of reliable revenue data base, effective
consultation. Intensive tax education are required to improve drastically the
district’s internal generated revenue.
ii.
External
Revenue
The
main source of External Revenue to the District Assembly is the District Assemblies’
Common Fund (DACF). The estimated and actual amount for 2006-2009 is as
follows:
|
YEAR
|
ESTIMATED (GH¢)
|
ACTUAL (GH¢)
|
PERCENTAGE (%)
|
|
2006
|
764,983.16
|
606,617.87
|
79.3
|
|
2007
|
630,182.21
|
856,819.54
|
136
|
|
2008
|
1,005.44
|
748.689.92
|
74.5
|
|
2009
|
1,412
|
|
|
DISTRICT ASSEMBLY REVENUE
Sources
of revenue for the district can be divided into two main categories. These are the Internally Generated Fund (IGF)
and external revenue.
(i)
Internally
Generated Fund/Revenue: the main sources
of IGF are:
·
Rates
·
Fees and Fines
·
Lands
·
Licenses
·
Rent
·
Interest on
Investments
·
Miscellaneous
The
performance of the District Assembly in Revenue Generation from the
Internal/Local sources for the period 2006 to 2009 is as follows:
|
YEAR
|
ESTIMATED
(GH¢)
|
ACTUAL
(GH¢)
|
PERCENTAGE
PERFORMANCE
|
|
2006
|
5333,403.00
|
58,012.37
|
108.7
|
|
2007
|
67,800.00
|
105,325.94
|
155.4
|
|
2008
|
141,250.50
|
155,597.66
|
110.7
|
|
2009
|
170,164.00
|
181,422.59
|
106.6
|
Source:
District Finance Department, 2009.
INVESTMENTS POTENTIAL IN ATIWA DISTRICT
The Atiwa
district is endowed with a wide range of resources that are of historic,
cultural and aesthetic tourist significance and attraction. Some of them are
enumerated below
TOURISM POTENTIAL
The Atiwa
district is endowed with some history and aesthetic site that will capture the
attention of a tourist. Some of them are
·
The Sacred and virgin
forest at Banso, the place is preserved as a burial grounds for Akyem-Abuakwa
kings which contains some of the largest and oldest species of trees with the
broadest canopy in Ghana.
WATERFALLS
TINI WATERFALLS:
This waterfall is located at Adasewase. It is an hour walk to the mountains.
This waterfall is large in volume and falls beautifully from a height of over
60metre a, cascading down several rock down out-crops which is about 7meters
width real excellent natural scenery. In terms of consistency and volume of
flow, it is considered to be one of the largest natural waterfalls in Ghana.
What is needed is the construction of receptive facilities in the area.
PAMENG:
The Pameng town has three beautiful waterfalls. The largest one cascades down
the floor with three separated splits but finally they all fall into one
receptacle (foot lake) depicting a rare natural phenomenon of appreciable
beauty.
There
are other waterfalls in the Adasewase namely Aponkyea and Yayaawhile .Aponkyea
is located kin the south eastern part of Adasewase, the Yayaa is located at the
north eastern. Both of them do not flow as big in volume as compared to Tini
falls.
Tini Waterfalls
at Adasewase
CAVES IN THE ADASEWASE VICINITY
There are a
number of complex cave of historic and archeological importance in the
Adasewase locality given local names by the indigenes, they are of great
tourist importance and significance.
·
OSEBOBUOM
CAVE: Osebobuom is a set of caves with many
apartments, all of which lead to an underground tunnel. Presumably the tunnel
serves as a safety escape in case of danger.Presently the district provide an
abode for bats, vipers, tigers and wild animals. “Osebobuom” as the name
depicts in the local dialect “hideout for tigers”
·
KYINHYIA
CAVES: These caves are located at Adasewase
consist of two large caves of similar sizes, each of which has a capacity to
accommodate 60 people at a time. The attraction of these places lies in the
fact that one cave sits on top of the other in what is describe in local
parlances as “abrosan”(a two -story)by the indigenes.
Intrestinly,
the two are linked by artistically arranged spiral rock staircase, a real
captivating natural phenomenon to observe.
Osebobuom Cave
HISTORICAL SITES
·
THE
ROYAL MAUSOLEUM: The royal burial grounds for
Akyem Abuakwa and royal family members located at Banso. It is sacred and
restricted area. It is envisage that traditional leaders will revisit some of
these taboos in order to promote tourism in the district.
·
ANOKYE
SHRINE: The Anokye shrine is located at
Asamama. This is the shrine which houses the magical garment (leather smock)and
sword of Okomfo Anokye, who is linked to the miraculous appearance of the
golden stool
FESTIVALS
·
OHUM
FESTIVAL: Ohum festival is celebrated by the
people of Akyem descent. The festival which falls between mid-June (Ohumkan)
and ending of June (Ohumkyire) each year, is celebrated with pageantry
throughout Akyem land. The actual celebration is spread over three days. The
celebration is however, preceded by two weeks of absolute quietness, within
which a ban is placed on all manner of activities that will disturb the
quietness of the period.
The
first day to usher in the celebration in marked by general cleaning of the
household items and general cleaning. The second day is a period of relaxation
and reflection marked by absolute quietness. It is a day to remember departed
member of the community and to meditate over their lifestyle-especially the
positive contribution they made towards the improvement of their societies. The
third day which marks the climax of all the festivities is a day of feasting
and merry making throughout the Akyem land. The morning is marked by
preparation of traditional meals and the pouring of libation to the ancestors,
invoking their spirit and inviting them to participate in the celebration. In
the afternoon, the chief usually sit in state and leads a procession. Of the
people through the principal street of the town amidst traditional and brass
band music.
ODWIRA FESTIVAL
This
festival is an occasion for the purification of the Black Stool of Okyeman
kings. The Black Stool is the traditional and symbolic seat which by custom is
reserve for Akyem king. The period of ODWIRA which means CLEANSING, is not used
only for purification and reconciliation but most importantly for planning
development projects for the community. The festival is climax by a grand
durbar of chiefs where issues of developmental concerns are sorted out and /or
dealt with the chiefs and elders.
DAADE BUO (SHRINE) FESTIVAL
Daade
Buo is a shrine for the Adasewase stool land and it is closely connected with
the black stool. The chief priest of the shrine is the head of the Aduana clan.
Celebration of the Daade Buo festival lasts for a week and is marked by
cultural displays and traditional dances. The most significant aspect of the
festival is that barren women visit the shrine to ask for fertility. This is
done by eating a portion of the food offered to the gods and by the next
festival season, they come back with thanks offering to the gods carrying their
babies on their back. For this reason, Daade Buo shrine is largely thronged by
women during a week-long period of celebrations.
ARTIFACTS
·
BEADS
MAKING: Adasewase and its environs have over
the years been producing shinning and valuable beads of various sizes and
shapes from rocks using local implements. This town is well noted for their
valuable beads both at the local and foreign market.
OTHER INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
·
AGRICULTURE
AND AGRO-PROCESSING: The district which
covers a vast area of 1,112km², lies within the semi deciduous forest zone with
mean annual rainfall of between 1,250mm and 1,750mm. The dry season is really
noticeable in the Atiwa District since rain falls virtually all year round. The
prevailing good climate and vegetation offer very good soil types for the
cultivation of variety of tropical crops.
·
TREE
CROP PLANTATION: The main crops that will do well
are cocoa, oil palm and citrus. These three plants are of immerse economic and
industrial use both locally i.e. in Ghana and on the international market.
Cultivation of Teak tree is another medium term investment, although some
farmers have started cultivating the Teak tree but on a small scale. Factories
can be sited as a source of the raw material to add value to the Teak tree
cultivation
·
TROPICAL
ALMOND TREE: research has also shown that,
bio-diesel can be extracted from the tropical Almond tree in commercial
quantities. Being a tropical plant, it thrives well in southern Ghana. Its
product is one of the finest oil for motor engines and it is environmentally
friendly.
ENYIRESI HANDICRAFT CENTRE:
·
Cane
and bamboo products; Enyiresi is a town in
the Atiwa District known for their specialization in cane and bamboo products.
Today, it is an accepted fact that cane and bamboo products are more
environmentally friendly as compared to plastic materials. Products from bamboo
and cane include garden furniture, tooth pick, serving trays, handbags and many
others. The town is specialized in cane weaving wood carving and bamboo
rafting. With the abundance of raw materials available in the forest. What is
left are market outlets to sell the product.
MINING
The underlying rock formation contains
different mineral deposits, among which are gold, diamond, bauxite and kaolin.
Historically, diamonds were first found in Ghana along the Birim basin at
Abomosu. So far, there is limited number of mining companies in the district.
A SNAKE-LIKE
PALM TREE LOCATED AT AYIGBE TOWN- ANYINAM
CONCLUSION
The
Atiwa District Assembly welcomes all prospective business entities to do
business here. Our doors are opened to create the enabling atmosphere for all
business people who want to go into tourism development, agriculture and agro
processing, mining or any other business venture in the district
