Wa, Ghana
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Wa is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
and the capital of the Wa Metropolitan Assembly and the
Upper West Region The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the north-western corner of Ghana and is bordered by Upper East Region to the east, Northern Region (Ghana), Northern Region to the south, and Burkina Faso to the west and north. The Upper West regional ...
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 ...
. It has a population of 200,672 people according to the 2021 census. The town is a transportation hub for the Upper West region, with major roads leading north to
Hamile Hamelé is a village in the southwestern corner of Burkina Faso, close to the border with the Republic 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 ...
, and northeast to Tumu and the
Upper East Region The Upper East Region is located in the northern part of Ghana and it is the third smallest of the 16 administrative regions in Ghana. It occupies a total land surface of 8,842 square kilometers, or 2.7% of the total land area of Ghana. The reg ...
. There is also a small airport, named the
Wa Airport Wa Airport is an airport serving Wa, Ghana, Wa, a city in the Upper West Region of Ghana which is also its capital. The airport is operated by Ghana Airports Company Limited. It is the sixth busiest commercial airport in Ghana with over 23,352 ...
.Touring Ghana – Upper West Region
touringghana.


History


Etymology

''Wa'' is a
Dagbani Dagbani (or Dagbane), also known as Dagbanli or Dagbanle, is a Gur language spoken in Ghana and Northern Togo. Its native speakers are estimated around 1,170,000. Dagbani is the most widely spoken language in northern Ghana, specifically among ...
word meaning ''te wa kaa yeng seore'' ('we came to watch a dance').


Formation

Wa emerged as an important center of trade. Under the Northern Protectorates, the town experienced slow infrastructure development due to neglection by the colonial administration.


Administration

Wa has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor is appointed/approved by the town council, the Wa Municipal Assembly. The current mayor of Wa is Hon. Tahiru Issahaku Moomin.


Economy

Despite its urban status, Wa is in many ways still an agricultural community with the majority of the town's population engaged in small scale farming. Main crops grown include
corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...
,
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...
, yams,
okra Okra (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the Malvaceae, mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions aro ...
and groundnuts. The town also grows
cash crop A cash crop, also called profit crop, is an Agriculture, agricultural crop which is grown to sell for profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate a marketed crop from a staple crop ("subsi ...
s, which include
soya bean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source of f ...
s, and groundnuts,
bambara bean ''Vigna subterranea'' (common names: Bambara groundnut, Bambara nut, Bambara bean, manicongo, Congo goober, earth pea, ground-bean, or hog-peanut) is a member of the family Fabaceae. Its name is derived from the Bambara ethnic group. The plan ...
s.


Demographics

In 1880, it was estimated that Wa had about 8,000 people. This number is thought to have fallen to 2,000 by 1900. In the 1921 census, the population of the town was 2,806. The population had risen to 5,207 by 1931. In that same year, the Wa district, which was now a part of the
Wala Native Authority The Wala Native Authority was a division of the British colony of Gold Coast established in 1933. It basically corresponded in its boundaries to those of the Kingdom of Wala Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchic state or realm ruled by a kin ...
had a population of 13,025. In 1948, Wa had a population of 14,406 while the district had 15,827 people. In 1960 the population was 14,406. In 1970 the population had risen to 13,740. In the 2000 census, the town's population was 66,644 while in the 2010 census the population was 125,479. Islam is the largest religion in the town making up 65.9% of the population. This is followed by Christianity (29%), traditionalists (4.1%), and other religions (0.4%). Major ethic groups who resided in Wa include the
Wala __NOTOC__ Wala may refer to: Places * Wala (island), a small island in Vanuatu, and a popular destination for cruise ships * Wala, Panama, a community in Kuna de Wargandí, Panama *Kingdom of Wala, a pre-colonial polity in the north of modern Gha ...
, the Sisaala, and the
Dagaaba The Dagaaba people (singular Dagao, and, in northern dialects, for both plural and singular) are an ethnic group located north of the convergence of Ghana, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. They speak the Dagaare language, a Gur language made up ...
.


Transportation

There is public transport from Wa to major cities such as
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 ...
;
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 ...
,
Mim, Ahafo Mim is a city in the Asunafo North Municipal District in the Ahafo Region of Ghana. It is a nodal town between Sunyani and Goaso on the N12 road (Ghana), N12 Highway. The distance from Mim to Sunyani is 64 km whiles that of Mim to Goaso is ...
;
Cape Coast Cape Coast is a city and the capital of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, Cape Coast Metropolitan District and the Central Region (Ghana), Central Region of Ghana, Ghana. It is located about from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately from Ac ...
,
Sunyani Sunyani () is a city and the capital of the Sunyani Municipal District and the Bono Region of Ghana. The city is located about northwest of Kumasi and away from Accra. It is the sixth largest city in the country as of the 2010 census, with ...
;
Tamale A tamale, in Spanish language, Spanish , is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of ''masa'', a dough made from nixtamalization, nixtamalized maize, corn, which is steaming, steamed in a corn husk or Banana leaf, banana leaves. The wrapping ...
;
Tema Tema is a city on the Bight of Benin and Atlantic coast of Ghana. It is located east of the capital city; Accra, in the region of Greater Accra, and is the capital of the Tema Metropolitan District. As of 2013, Tema is the eleventh most p ...
; Ho;
Bolgatanga Bolgatanga (Frafra language, Frafra: ''Bɔlegataŋa''), colloquially known as ''Bolga'', is a town and also the capital of the Bolgatanga Municipal District, Bolgatanga Municipal and the Upper East Region of Ghana. It shares a Burkina Faso–Gh ...
;
Elubo Elubo is a town in the Jomoro district, a district in the Western Region of Ghana, and is located near the border with the Ivory Coast. 2021 census indicate that, Elubo have a settlement population of 23,952 people. The current '' Omanhene'' ...
;
Aflao Aflao is a border town in the Ketu South District in the Volta Region of Ghana on the Ghana–Togo border, border with Togo. Aflao is the twenty-eighth most populous Human settlement, settlement in Ghana, in terms of population, with a populat ...
, and
Techiman Techiman (Akan language, Akan: ''Takyiman'') is a city and the capital of the Techiman Municipal District, Techiman Metropolitan District and the Bono East Region of Ghana. The city is located about from Sunyani and about away from Kumasi. I ...
.


Geography

Wa is located in the north-western part of Ghana. It has a size that covers a total land area of . The average land height of the town sits between and above sea level. The municipal share surrounding borders Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District to the north-west,
Nadowli-Kaleo District Nadowli-Kaleo District is one of the eleven districts in Upper West Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Nadowli District in 1988; until the eastern part of the district were later split off to create Daffiama-Bussie ...
to the north-east, Wa East District to the east and to the west and south the
Wa West District Wa West District is one of the eleven districts in Upper West Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Wa District in 1988; until two parts of the district were later split off to create Wa East District (from the east) ...
.


Climate

Wa has 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 climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Aw''), with a wet season and a dry season and the temperature being hot year-round. The wet season usually occurs between March and July while the dry season can happen from September to November. The mean maximum temperatures can range from whilst the mean minimum temperatures can reach . The average monthly relative humidity stands around 40.67%.


Culture

The Wa Naa's Palace, located in Wa, is home to chief (''Wa Naa'') of the
Wala people The Wala or Waala live in the Upper West Region of Ghana. They are a predominantly Muslim people who are the founders of the city of Wa and the Kingdom of Wala. They speak the Wali language, which belongs to the Gur group. There are 84,800 speak ...
.
Cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
is a symbol of wealth in the town and is sometimes used for marriage payment.


Festivals

The
Damba festival The Damba festival is the largest festival in Ghana, celebrated by the peoples of the Northern Region (Ghana), Northern, Savannah Region, Savanna, North East Region, Ghana, North East, Upper East Region, Upper East and Upper West Region, Upper ...
is an annual event celebrated in the town and throughout Northern Ghana. It is typically held in late September. The Dumba festival is another annual event celebrated in the town. It is usually celebrated in the month of September or October.


Cuisine


Human resources


Health

Wa has a total of 26 health facilities, including community health planning services and four private facilities. The largest hospital in the town is the Wa regional hospital. It is a 160-bed facility that opened in 2019 with a project cost of GH₵5,254,500,000 (US$339 million).


Education

The town is the educational hub of the region.
University for Development Studies The University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana, Tamale was established in 1992 as a multi-campus institution. It is the fifth public university to be established in Ghana. This deviates from the usual practice of having universities with c ...
, Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education and Wa Polytechnic have branches or are located in Wa. The Wa Technical University, formerly Wa Polytechnic, was established in 1999 and begin program offerings in 2004. There are currently 600 students enrolled in the institution. The following is a list of educational institutions in Wa: ;
Senior high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
s * Wa Islamic Senior High School * Jamiat Al-Hidayyat Al-Islamiat Girls Senior High School * Northern Star Senior High School * St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary * Wa Senior High School * Wa Senior High Technical School * Wa Technical Institute * T. I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School ;
College A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
s/
Universities A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
* SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies * Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education * Wa Nursing Training College * Wa Technical University (formally Wa Polytechnic)


Notable people

* Wiyaala *
Samini Emmanuel Andrews Sammini (born 22 December 1982, in Accra, Ghana), known by his stage name Samini (formerly as Batman Samini), is a Ghanaian reggae and dancehall recording artist from Wa, Ghana. His genre of music is a melodious mixture of hig ...
*
Mohammed Kudus Mohammed Kudus (born 2 August 2000) is a Ghanaian professional Association football, footballer who plays as an Midfielder (association football)#Advanced playmaker, attacking midfielder or Forward (association football)#Winger, right winger fo ...
*
Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo (born 15 May 1964) is a Ghanaian politician. He is the current Member of Parliament for Wa Central (Ghana parliament constituency), Wa Central constituency in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Early life and education ...
* Salma Mumin * Abdul Haye Mumin * Shamima Muslim


See also

*
Lobi people The Lobi belong to an ethnic group that originated in what is today Ghana. Starting around 1770, many Lobi peoples migrated into southern Burkina Faso and later into Côte d'Ivoire. The group consists of a little over a 1,000,000 people. They make ...
*
Wala people The Wala or Waala live in the Upper West Region of Ghana. They are a predominantly Muslim people who are the founders of the city of Wa and the Kingdom of Wala. They speak the Wali language, which belongs to the Gur group. There are 84,800 speak ...


References


Citations


Bibliography

* *


External links

*
Ghana-pedia webpage – Wa

Wa, Ghana oriented website
{{Authority control Regional capitals in Ghana Populated places in the Upper West Region