DISTRICT ECONOMY

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