Koforidua, also popularly known as K.dua or Koftown and now Kofcity, is a city and the capital of Eastern Region of

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

. The city has a population of 183,727 people as of 2010. The city is a blend of colonial and modern architecture. Koforidua serves as the commercial center for the Eastern region. The city is home to many businesses, with the exception of heavy duty industries. The city is home to Intravenous Infusions Limited, one of the oldest pharmaceutical companies in West Africa. The recent construction of the four-lane highway road linking the

Koforidua Technical University Koforidua Technical University is one of the ten Institute of technology, Technical Universities established in every region in Ghana. It was founded in 1997. Since 1999 it has produced graduates with Higher National Diploma, HNDs in accountan ...

and Koforidua to Oyoko brings commerce to the city. The highway also serves as a valid alternative route to reach

Kumasi Kumasi is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is the second largest city in the country, with a population of 443,981 as of the 2021 census. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region ...

. Koforidua today is a multi-ethnic city with people from various ethnic groups in Ghana calling the city their home. On 4 March 2024, Koforidua played host to the celebration of the 67th anniversary of the independence of Ghana.

Etymology

Based on oral tradition, the city owes its name to an

Akan Akan may refer to: People and languages *Akan people, an ethnic group in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire *Akan languages, a language group within the wider Central Tano languages *Kwa languages, a language group which includes Akan *Central Tano language ...

man named Kofi Ofori, who had built his hut under a huge mahogany tree. This tree provided shelter for weary farmers who were returning from their farms. Over time, it became common for the farmers to say that they were going to rest under Kofi Ofori's tree. In their local language,

Twi Twi (; ) is the common name of the Akan literary language of Asante and Akuapem. Effectively, it is a synonym for 'Akan' that is not used by the Fante people. It is not a linguistic grouping, but more of a common name used by inland Akans as ...

, the word for tree is 'dua'. The combination of Ofori's name and tree becomes 'Koforidua'.

History

Koforidua was founded in 1875 by

migrants from Asanteman. The completion of the Kumasi railway in 1923 saw Koforidua becoming an important road and rail junction. Koforidua is one of the country's oldest cocoa-producing centers. It is also noted today for its weekly Thursday bead market, which draws bead buyers and sellers from all over the Eastern region. The moniker "Koforidua Flowers" has firmly entrenched itself and is likely to endure, even though some older individuals have attempted to explain that the name originated from the abundant flowers spanning the stretch between Akwadum and Koforidua, as one approached the city. However, the prevailing and widely accepted perspective contradicts this. This figurative name has been in circulation since the 1950s. As recounted by certain elderly residents of the city, the name finds its roots in the allure of the women who migrated to the city during the turn of the century for trading endeavors. Many of these women chose to make the city their permanent home, effectively becoming part of the local population. Primarily in their late teens and early twenties, they were predominantly hailing from areas like Krobo and Akyem, with a notable contingent also originating from the Kwahu mountains. Koforidua, during that era, held a significant status as a trading hub, hosting numerous lively events every week, and therefore, was home to a substantial female population.

Legend

According to Legend, the Obuotabiri mountain, found in New Juabeng, both north and south districts, was the home to the gods who protected the people. It was believed to be inhabited by dwarfs and thus was considered to be the soul of the area.

Geography

The New Juaben Municipality falls within the Eastern Region of South Ghana. The municipality covers an estimated area of 110 square kilometres, constituting 0.57% of the total land area of the Eastern Region. The municipality has 48 electoral areas. The New-Juaben municipality shares boundaries with East-Akim Municipality to the northeast, Akwapim North District to the east and south, and Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District to the west. The city of Koforidua (New Juabeng) is made up of several neighbourhoods and settlements, including Effiduase, Asokore, Oyoko, Jumapo, Suhyen, Dansuagya, Betom, and Srodae. Koforidua is two hours by road from

Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...

Climate

The city is located in the heart of the Dahomey Gapresulted in it having a

tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Aw''). The weather is hot and humid year-round, but significant rainfall is usually only seen between April and June, although in wetter years in September and October also will see substantial falls.

Demographics

Presently the city's population is 127,334 people and is dominated by Akans. The 'Akwantukese' (The Big Journey Festival) is celebrated yearly to mark the movement of the inhabitants of Koforidua's ancestors from ' Asanteman' to their present location of Koforidua.

Economy

Industries

The city is home to one of Ghana's oldest pharmaceutical Manufacturing companies i.e
Intravenous infusion Ltd
which manufactures drips and injections for the West African Market. Other Industrial activities of Koforidua include textiles,

crafts A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pr ...

, soap,

carpentry Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. C ...

and

joinery Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining pieces of wood, engineered lumber, or synthetic substitutes (such as laminate), to produce more complex items. Some woodworking joints employ mechanical fasteners, bindings, or adhesives ...

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...

and

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

s, and the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.Latest Ghana News. Vibe Ghana
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Financial services

Koforidua is also home to many financial services companies ranging from Universal Banks, Micro-finance, Rural Banks and Savings and Loans Companies to Insurance Companies.

Agriculture

The city currently depends mainly on Government Administration, Retailing, hospitality, commercial and Education services. With inhabitants in the Cornubations (Outskirt surrounding communities) engaging in some form of subsistence farming.

Cocoa production

Koforidua produces cocoa. However, as cocoa production has moved westward to the

Ashanti Region The Ashanti Region is located in the southern part of Ghana and is the third largest of Regions of Ghana, 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of and making up 10.2 percent of the total land area of Ghana. It is the List of ...

and

Brong-Ahafo Region The Brong-Ahafo region was a region in central Ghana. Brong-Ahafo was bordered to the north by the Black Volta river and to the east by the Lake Volta, and to the south by the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions. The capital of Brong-Ahafo ...

areas of virgin

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

, Koforidua has become increasingly dependent upon its commercial and business administrative functions. The city of Koforidua has only small-medium scale industries today.

Market

Koforidua accommodates several markets within its township, encompassing the Central Market, Agatha Market (also referred to as the Farmer's Market), Effiduase Market, Adweso Market, and the Zongo Market among several other small markets. Koforidua, characterized by its Akan majority population, fits into this classification by designating Mondays and Thursdays as market days. On these particular days, the municipality experiences a temporary halt as individuals converge from both distant and nearby locales to purchase essential groceries. The focal point of this bustling activity is the Agartha Market, a satellite marketplace situated to the south of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC) vicinity, along the route leading to the Old Estate community.

Points of Interest

Koforidua is close to predominant tourism attractions such as Obuo Tabri Mountain,

Akosombo Dam The Akosombo Dam, also known as the Volta Dam, is a Hydroelectricity, hydroelectric dam on the Volta River in southeastern Ghana in the Akosombo gorge and part of the Volta River Authority. The construction of the dam flooded part of the Volta Riv ...

(which holds

Lake Volta Lake Volta (), the largest artificial reservoir in the world based on surface area, is contained behind the Akosombo Dam which generates a substantial amount of Ghana's electricity. It is completely within the country of Ghana and has a surface ...

, the world's largest man-made lake), Akaa Falls, Boti Falls, and the

Umbrella Rock The Umbrella Rock is a mysterious rock located just about seven kilometres close to the Boti Falls in the Yilo Krobo District, Ghana, hence tourists who visit Boti Falls usually take advantage to pass by and experience the mystery of nature of ...

Education

Koforidua is a major hub of education not just in the region but in the country as a whole.

Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary (POJOSS) (formerly St. John's Seminary and College) is a Catholic all-boys day-boarding school located in Effiduase, Koforidua, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Established in 1958 by Bishop Jo ...

was ranked 9th of the over 200 senior high schools in Ghana. The city is home to the

, All Nations University College and Ghana telecom University College. The city is also home to a couple of notable high schools. High schools in Koforidua include: * Koforidua Secondary Technical Senior High School (K.S.T.S) * Pope John Senior High and Junior Seminary * Oti Boateng Senior High School * Pentecost Senior High School * Ghana Senior High School * New Juabeng Senior High School * SDA Senior High School *

Oyoko Methodist Senior High School Oyoko Methodist Senior High School (abbreviated OMESS) is a high school located in Oyoko, Koforidua, Eastern Region (Ghana), Eastern Region of Ghana. It was established in 1989 as a successor of Oyoko Methodist Agricultural Secondary School (OMAS ...

The schools listed have been consistent in representing the municipality and the region as large in the famous annual National Science and Maths Quiz.

References

External links

Official site

Ghana-pedia website – Koforidua
{{Coord, 6, 05, 00, N, 0, 15, 00, W, display=title Koforidua Regional capitals in Ghana Articles containing video clips Eastern Region (Ghana)