Functions of the Assembly

The District Assembly is the highest administrative and political authority of the district. It exercises deliberative, legislative and executive functions. It is expected to perform the following functions, as provided in Section 12 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936). The Assembly is;

• responsible for the overall development of the district;
• to formulate and execute plans, programmes and strategies for the effective mobilization of the resources necessary for the overall development of the district
• to promote and support productive activity and social development in the district and remove any obstacles to initiative and development;
• to sponsor the education of students from the district to fill particular manpower needs of the district especially in the social sectors of education and health, making sure that the sponsorship is fairly and equitably balanced between male and female students;
• to initiate programmes for the development of basic infrastructure and provide municipal works and services in the district;
• for the development, improvement and management of human settlements and the environment in the district;
• in co-operation with the appropriate national and local security agencies, be responsible for the maintenance of security and public safety in the district;
• to ensure ready access to courts in the district for the promotion of justice;
• to act to preserve and promote the cultural heritage within the district;
• to initiate, sponsor or carry out studies that may be necessary for the discharge of any of the duties conferred by this Act or any other enactment; and
• to perform any other functions that may be provided under another enactment.
• The FNDA Assembly shall as well take steps and measures that are necessary and expedient to; execute approved development plans for the district;
• guide, encourage and support sub-district local structures, public agencies and local communities to perform their functions in the execution of approved development plans;
• initiate and encourage joint participation with other persons or bodies to execute approved development plans;
• promote or encourage other persons or bodies to undertake projects under approved development plans; and
• monitor the execution of projects under approved development plans and assess and evaluate their impact on the development of the district and national economy in accordance with government policy.

The FNDA as well co-ordinates, integrate and harmonizes the execution of programmes and projects under approved development plans and other development programmes promoted or carried out by Departments, public corporations and other statutory bodies and non-governmental organizations in the district.

1.9. Analysis of Existing Conditions of the District

Analyses of the existing conditions are essential elements or factors for determining socio-economic development of the District.  This stems from the fact that apart from being potential resources, they also serve as framework within which all development activities take place. The major factors that need critical analysis and their implications for development in the District include location and size, demographic characteristics, social, economic, infrastructure, environment, governance, hazard, disaster and security etc. The interaction between the human and physical environment and its development implications with respect to the above major factors are clearly and briefly described below.

LOCAL AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

1. Location and Size

The Fanteakwa North District was carved out of the East Akim District in 1988 by Legislative Instrument (L.I) 1411 of 1988 and the Local Government Act, Act 462 of 1993 with Begoro as the capital.

The Fanteakwa North District is located within the central part of the Eastern Region of Ghana. It lies within longitudes 780000⁰ North and latitudes 720000⁰ West and longitude 80000⁰ Northeast and latitude 720000⁰ East. The District shares boundaries with Kwahu Afram Plains South district to the North, to the North West by Kwahu South District, the Southwest by Atiwa East and South by Fanteakwa South District and to the East by Yilo and Upper Manya Krobo District. It is bonded to the North by the Afram Plains and Volta Lake and to the North West. The District has a total land area of 690 square kilometers.

The exact location of the District with respect to the Regional and National context is indicated in Figures 1.2 and 1. 3.

Climate

The district falls under the influence of both the south west monsoon winds and north east trade winds and characterized by double maxima rainfall in March to October and November to February respectively with the heaviest rainfall in June. Averagely, the district experiences an annual temperature of 24 degrees Celsius, with the weather usually cold and often experience relative humidity throughout the year. This condition therefore resulted in the district popularly known as ‘Manchester’.

VEGETATION

The district is predominantly a forest zone with few semi-savannah areas at the Northern part. The typical wet- semi deciduous forest vegetation covers about 80 percent of the total vegetation cover across the district. The District has a forest District and manages three (3) gazetted forest reserves. forest vegetation is made up of many different tree species including wawa (Triplochiton selerexylon), mahogany (Khaya invorensis), esa (Celtis), ofram (Terminalia superba), edinam (Entandro phragma ivorensio), onyina (Ceiba petandra), kyenkyen (Antiaris Africana) and odum (Milicia exelsa), Sapele etc. This vegetation is therefore suitable for the cultivation of cash crops like cocoa, coffee, rubber, oil palm and citrus as well as stable food crops such as plantain, cocoyam, cassava, maize, rice and vegetables. Most of these crops are exported which help generate more income for farmers, the district and the country as a whole.

  Table1.1: Forest Reserves in the District

  Source: FNDA, Forest Services Division, Begoro, 2021

The three forest reserves are productive reserves where timber harvesting is done of which some Timber Contractors have registered to harvest both natural and plantation timber. Occasional bushfires, overexploitation and encroachment of land are threatening the existence of the reserves. The type of climate has positive impact on the heavy rainfall experiences in the District. The District has large tracts of forest and economic trees. However, the high exploitation of timber for logs and lumber by both registered timber firms and illegal chainsaw operators has contributed significantly to deforestation in the District. Unchecked farming practices including cocoa farming has also compounded the situation through encroachment on the virgin forest and forest reserves. The heavily dependent of the people on firewood and charcoal for energy has seriously affected both secondary and virgin forests in the District. This situation has serious implications such as threat to livelihood, soil degradation, forest depletion, adverse climatic conditions and endangered species in the District.