# Volta Region

Volta Region (or Volta) is one of Ghana's sixteen administrative regions, with Ho designated as its capital. It is located west of Republic of Togo and to the east of Lake Volta. Divided into 25 administrative districts, the region is multi-ethnic and multilingual, including groups such as the Ewe, the Guan, and the Akan people. The Guan peoples include the Lolobi, Likpe, Akpafu, Akyode, Buem, Nyagbo, Avatime, and Nkonya. This region was carved out of the Volta Region in December 2018 by the New Patriotic Party. The people of the Volta Region are popularly known as Voltarians (French: Voltaiens). This group includes the Ewes, Guans and other minor tribes living in the Volta Region. The people of the Volta Region are popular known for their rich cultural display and music some of which include Agbadza, Borborbor and Zigi.

## Background

The Volta region was formed by the state union of the former British Togoland which was part of the German protectorate of Togoland. It was administered as part of the Gold Coast by the British and later renamed Trans-Volta Togoland.

## Demographics

The native and largest ethnic group of the Volta Region (Togoland / British Togoland) are the Ewe people (68.5% of the population). They consist of several subgroups such as the Anlo Ewe, Tongu Ewe, Wedome Ewe, Ave Ewe and Avenor Ewe. Other ethnicities include the Guan people (forming 9.2% of the population), the Akan people (8.5%), and the Gurma people (6.5% of the population).

## Administration

The Volta region is run by a Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and a District Assembly. The RCC is made up of the Volta Regional Minister who is the political head and his deputy as well as representatives of the Regional House of Chiefs, the District Chief Executives of the Volta region, the Presiding Members of the 12 Districts Assemblies and representatives of the various decentralized Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Volta region. Each district is run by a District Assembly.

### Regional Commissioners and Ministers

The current Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa was appointed in February 2017.

## Administrative divisions

Before the regional demarcation in December 2018, the region had 25 MMDA's (made up of 0 Metropolitan, 5 Municipal and 20 Ordinary Assemblies) with all the administrative changes as of December 2012. After the census, the Oti Region was carved out of it, reducing the size of the region and the number of administrative districts to 18.
The political administration of the region is through the local government system. Under this administration system, the region is divided into 18 MMDA's (made up of 0 Metropolitan, 6 Municipal and 12 Ordinary Assemblies). Each District, Municipal or Metropolitan Assembly, is administered by a Chief Executive, representing the central government but deriving authority from an Assembly headed by a presiding member elected from among the members themselves. The current list is as follows:
Districts of the Volta Region :
| # | MMDA Name | Capital | MMDA Type | Chief Executive | Start Date | Constituency | Member of Parliament | Party |
| 1 | Adaklu | Adaklu Waya | Ordinary | Kadey Phanel Donkoh | 1 June 2017 | Adaklu | Kwame Governs Agbodza | NDC |
| 2 | Afadjato South | Ve Golokwati | Ordinary | James Etornam Flolu | 1 June 2017 | Afadjato South | Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-Tay | NDC |
| 3 | Agotime-Ziope | Kpetoe | Ordinary | John Kwaku Amanya | 1 June 2017 | Agotime-Ziope | Charles Akwasi Agbeve | NDC |
| 4 | Akatsi North | Ave-Dakpa | Ordinary | Prince Sodoke Amuzu | 1 June 2017 | Akatsi North | Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe | NDC |
| 5 | Akatsi South | Akatsi | Ordinary | Leonelson Adzidogah | 1 June 2017 | Akatsi South | Bernard Ahiafor | NDC |
| 6 | Anloga | Anloga | Ordinary | Seth Yormewu | 15 May 2018 | Anlo | Richard Kwami Sefe | NDC |
| 7 | Central Tongu | Adidome | Ordinary | Thomas Moore Zonyarah | 1 June 2017 | Central Tongu | Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze | NDC |
| 8 | Ho | Ho | Municipal | Prosper Kofi Pi-Bansah | 1 June 2017 | Ho Central | Richmond Edem Kofi Kpotosu | NDC |
| 9 | Ho West | Dzolokpuita | Ordinary | Ernest Victor Apau | 1 June 2017 | Ho West | Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah | NDC |
| 10 | Hohoe | Hohoe | Municipal | Andrews Teddy Ofori | 1 June 2017 | Hohoe | Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo | NDC |
| 11 | Keta | Keta | Municipal | Godwin Edudji Effah | 1 June 2017 | Keta | Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey | NDC |
| 12 | Ketu North | Dzodze | Municipal | Anthony Avogbedor | 1 June 2017 | Ketu North | Eric Edem Agbana | NDC |
| 13 | Ketu South | Denu | Municipal | Edem Elliot Agbewornu | 1 June 2017 | Ketu South | Dzifa Abla Gomashie | NDC |
| 14 | Kpando | Kpandu | Municipal | Ernest Theophilus Quist | 1 June 2017 | Kpando | Sebastian Fred Deh | NDC |
| 15 | North Dayi | Anfoega | Ordinary | Kudjo Edmund Attah | 1 June 2017 | North Dayi | Joycelyn Tetteh | NDC |
| 16 | North Tongu | Battor Dugame | Ordinary | Richard Collins Arku | 7 January 2017 | North Tongu | Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa | NDC |
| 17 | South Dayi | Kpeve New Town | Ordinary | Ernest Patrick Mallet | 1 June 2017 | South Dayi | Rockson-Nelson Kwami Dafeamekpor | NDC |
| 18 | South Tongu | Sogakope | Ordinary | Emmanuel Louis Agama | 1 June 2017 | South Tongu | Maxwell Kwame Lukutor | NDC |
The following districts are now within the boundaries of the Oti Region which was formally created on 15 February 2019.
Districts of the Oti Region :
| # | MMDA Name | Capital | MMDA Type | Chief Executive |
| 1 | Biakoye | Nkonya Ahenkro | Ordinary | Comfort Attah |
| 2 | Jasikan | Jasikan | Ordinary | Lawrence Aziale |
| 3 | Kadjebi | Kadjebi | Ordinary | Michael Kofi Asiedu |
| 4 | Krachi East | Dambai | Municipal | Patrick Jilima |
| 5 | Krachi Nchumuru | Chindiri | Ordinary | Augustine Appiah |
| 6 | Krachi West | Kete Krachi | Ordinary | Douglas Osei-Nti |
| 7 | Nkwanta North | Kpassa | Ordinary | Jakayi Jackson |
| 8 | Nkwanta South | Nkwanta | Ordinary | John Tarsun |

## Constituencies

There are 18 constituencies in the region after the Oti Region was carved out of it. Previously Volta Region had 19 constituencies in the election in December 2000 and 24 constituencies in December 2004 parliamentary election. Four new constituencies were created by the Electoral Commission prior to the December 2012 parliamentary election, increasing the number of constituencies to 26.

## Education
### Universities

* Ghana Telecom University College (Now Ghana Communication Technology University)
* University of Health and Allied Sciences
* Evangelical Presbyterian University College
* Ho Technical University
* Princefield University College
* Adonai University College

### Nurses' Training and Colleges of Education

* Ho Nurses' Training College
* Keta Nursing and Midwifery Training College
* Hohoe Midwifery Training College
* Akatsi College of Education
* Peki College of Education
* Holy Spirit College of Education
* St. Francis College of Education
* St. Theresa’s College of Education

### Senior High Schools

* St. Paul's Senior High School (SPACO)
* Some Senior High School (SOSEC)
* Klikor Senior High Technical School (KLISTECH)
* Bishop Herman College (BIHECO)
* Kpando Senior High School
* Keta Senior High Technical School
* OLA Girls Senior High School (Ho)
* Mawuko Girls' Senior High School
* Mafi Kumase Senior High Technical School
* Adidome Senior High School
* Sogakofe Senior High School
* Keta Business College
* Wallahs Academy SHS (Ho)
* Adaklu Senior High School, (Adaklu Waya)
* Awudome Senior High School (AWUSCO), Tsito-Awudome
* Ave Senior High School (AVESCO), Ave Dakpa
* Ziope Senior High School
* Mawuli School (HO)
* St Prosper's College (HO)
* Ideal College
* Social Welfare Vocational Training Centre (SWEVCO), HO
* Sonrise Christian High School
* Abor Senior High School
* Zion College
* Tanyigbe Senior High School
* Three Town Senior High School
* Hohoe E.P Senior High School (HEPSS)
* Vakpo Secondary School
* Vakpo Secondary Senior High Technical
* Kpedze Senior High School
* Peki Senior High School
* Shia Senior High School
* Peki Senior High Technical School (Pestech)
* Kpeve Senior High Technical School
* Have Technical Institute
* Anfoega Senior High School
* Taviefe Senior High School
* Agate Senior High School
* Atiavi Senior High Technical School(Atiavi)
* Alavanyo Senior High Technical School
* E.P. Tech/Voc. Institute (Alavanyo)
* Kpando Technical Institute
* Leklebi Senior High School
* Ve Community Senior High School (Ve Koloenu)
* Tsito Senior High Technical School
* Abutia Senior High Technical School
* Sokode Senior High Technical School
* St. Catherine Girls Senior High School
* Wovenu Senior High Technical School, Tadzewu
* Akatsi Senior High Technical School

## Health

The Volta Regional Hospital is located at Ho. It is popularly referred to as Trafalgar. The inception of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Ho has led to it being redesignated as the Ho Teaching Hospital in 2019. Other government run health facilities in the capital are the Ho Municipal Hospital and the Ho Polyclinic. Hospitals in the region include:
List of major hospitals in the Volta Region :
| District | Location | Hospital |
| Akatsi South | Akatsi | Akatsi District Hospital |
| Akatsi South | Akatsi | St. Paul's Hospital |
| Ho Municipal | Ho | Ho Teaching Hospital |
| Ho Municipal | Ho | Ho Municipal Hospital |
| Ho Municipal | Ho | Ho Polyclinic |
| Hohoe Municipal | Hohoe | Hohoe Municipal Hospital |
| Keta Municipal | Abor | Sacred Heart Hospital |
| Keta Municipal | Keta | Keta Government Hospital |
| Ketu South Municipal | Aflao | Ketu South Municipal Hospital |
| Kpando Municipal | Kpando | Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital |
| North Dayi | Anfoega | Anfoega Catholic Hospital |
| North Tongu | Adidome | Adidome Hospital |
| North Tongu | Battor | Catholic Hospital |
| South Dayi | Peki | Peki Government Hospital |
| South Tongu | Sogakope | Sogakope District Hospital |

### Togoland Congress

The Togoland Congress (TCP) was a political party formed in 1951 to campaign for the unification of the Ewe people in British Togoland and French Togoland as a separate Ewe state. The party was defeated in the May 1956 UN plebiscite in British Togoland, which resulted in the unification of British Trans-Volta Togoland with Gold Coast, which later became independent as Ghana.
On 9 May 1956, a vote was conducted to decide the future disposition of British Togoland and French Togoland. The native and dominant ethnic group, the Ewe people, were divided between the two Togos. British Togoland inhabitants voted in favor of state union with the Gold Coast, and the Togo Ewe state was incorporated with Gold Coast.
There was vocal opposition to the incorporation of Togoland into modern Ghana, from the Ewe people who voted (42%) against in British Togoland, as the Ewe wanted the unification of the Ewe people in British Togoland and French Togoland as a separate Ewe state (modern Togo).
Recently, a campaign for the cessation of some part of the Volta Region from Ghana to be known as "Western Togoland" is being led by a group calling itself Homeland Study Group Foundation. The group is led by Charles Kormi Kudzodzi.

## Tourism
### Recreation areas
#### Museum

   * Volta Regional Museum

### Mountains

* Mount Afadja
* Mount Adaklu
* Mount Gemi

### Other Tourist Attractions
#### Waterfalls

* Tafi Agome Caves
* Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary
* Wli Waterfalls
* Tagbo Falls
* Amedzofe Falls
* Biakpa Falls and Caves
* Kpoeta waterfalls (at Ho West District)
* Mount Afadja
* Mount Gemi
* Akpom Falls and limestone cave Logba Tota
* Snake Village Liate Wote
* Adidime waterfalls Klefe (at Ho Municipal)
* Ave Crocodile Resort (Ave Dakpa)

## Notable citizens

Notable native citizens of Volta :
| # | Citizen | Settlement |
| 1 | Erica Nego | Ho |
| 2 | Jerry Rawlings | Keta |
| 3 | Kofi Awoonor | Wheta |
| 4 | Peter Bossman | Ho |
| 5 | Prof. A.C. Kuma | Leklebi |
| 6 | Ave Kludze | Hohoe |
| 7 | Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey | Nogokpo |
| 8 | Dzifa Ativor | Abutia |
| 9 | Ephraim Amu | Abenase |
| 10 | Komla Dumor | Aflao |
| 11 | Togbe Afede XIV | Ho |
| 12 | Stonebwoy | Alakple |
| 13 | Mz Vee | Dzodze |
| 14 | John Dumelo | Hohoe |
| 15 | Philip Gbeho | Vodza |
| 16 | Kofi Adjorlolo | Klikor |
| 17 | Edem | Dzodze |
| 18 | John Peter Amewu | Hohoe |
| 19 | Esther Ocloo | Peki |
| 20 | Joseph Edward Michel | Atikpui |
| 21 | Emmanuel Kotoka | Fiaxor |
| 22 | Anthony Deku | |
| 23 | J. W. K. Harlley | |
| 24 | Courage Quashigah | Kedzi |
| 25 | Harry Dumashie | Dzelukope |
| 26 | Kojo Tsikata | |
| 27 | Tsatsu Tsikata | |
| 28 | Mac Sarbah | Mepe |