Population Size type of locality and sex

According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the District had a population of 117,185, which constituted 5.3% of the population of the Central Region. Based on the estimated growth rate of 1.8%, the projected population of the district as at 2018 is 144,966. The district has more females than males with a sex ratio of 89.3.

The district is predominantly rural with 66.4 percent of the population living in rural areas, while 33.6 percent live in urban areas. Similarly, there are more female than males among the urban population and same is recorded for the rural area. Further details are shown in Table 4

Table 4: Population Size by type of locality and sex

Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2010 Population and Housing Census

From the table below, Moree is the most populous community in the District. Followed by Abura Dunkwa and thirdly, Abakrampa. From the table, these three have been the urban towns until 2018 when Asebu is expected to join the league. It is also expected that, the population of Amosima is also expected to grow beyond 5,000

Table 5 below presents the population sizes for the first twenty Communities in the District using the growth rate of 1.8%

Table 5: Population for first Twenty (20) largest Communities

Source: AAKDA Projections based on 2010PHC

The above table reveals that, most of the communities in the district have grown in terms of their population size. However, majority of the first twenty list of towns have population between One Thousand (1000) and 4000. It can be noted that, the growth of the urban centers was gradual while, the growth in the smaller township was dramatic and significant. The above shows that more communities are becoming good candidates for higher order services.

Sex Composition and Sex Ratio

The table below shows that generally, there are more females than males in all the age groups. The sex ratio of 89.3 for the district indicates that, for every hundred females, there are about 89 males. This has serious implication for fertility, employment, vulnerability, HIV related issues, dependency and poverty especially in a situation where a high proportion of women in the District are single parents and heads of households.

Table 6: Sex Composition and Ratio

Source: AAKDA Projections based on 2010 PHC

Rural – Urban Split

The District is predominantly rural with the proportion of urban dwellers constituting 33.6% of the District Population. This proportion is formed by just three major towns in the district namely Moree, Abura Dunkwa and Abakrampa. It is however expected that by 2018, Asebu is would join the list of urbanized town as already indicated in the table of first twenty settlements. This means that whiles the District Assembly continues to address the needs of the majority dwelling in the rural areas, strategic investments have to be made in these urban towns which naturally become the center of attraction for surrounding communities in terms of service provision and access to basic amenities.

Table 7: Comparative Urban Rural population distribution

Source: Population and Housing Census Report 2010

Population Density

Available statistics shows that the population density has increased from 237 persons per sq.km in 2000 to 308 persons per sq km in 2010. With an estimated district population of 141,162 for 2017, the population density currently is estimated to be 371 persons per square km. This makes AAK. District one of the densely populated areas in the Central Region and therefore a good candidate for higher order services.

Age Distribution

The District’s population has a youthful structure, with a broad base consisting of large numbers of children and a conical top of a small number of elderly persons. The population Aged 0-14 years is 47,524 (40.5%) out of the district total of 117,185. This compared to both regional and national figures of 39.5 percent and 34.4 percent, respectively confirms the youthful nature of the district population. This situation requires the District Assembly to make adequate provision to take care of the educational, Health care, jobs and other critical needs required for such a population. The table below and the population pyramid that follows gives a complete picture of the structure of the population as given in five (5) years and broad age cohorts

Table 8 : Age Distribution

Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2010 Population and Housing Census

Figure 4: Population Pyramid

Dependency Ratio

The District has a dependency ratio of 89.2 compared to the regional dependency ratio of 81.4. This implies that for every 100 persons aged 15-64 years which is the economically active group, there are about 89 dependents to be supported. Thus, the district has the sixth highest dependency ratio in the Central Region.

While old age dependency ratio of 12.5 child dependency is 76.7for every 100 person within the working age group (15-64). This means children would be the most affected if there aren’t enough job opportunities for the working class. Furthermore, child dependency ratio is noted to be higher in rural areas (78.2) compared to urban areas (74.0), and old age dependency ratio is also higher in rural areas (13.2) compared to urban areas (11.2).

Table 9: Age dependency ratio by locality

Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2010 population and Housing Census

Spatial Distribution/ Settlement Pattern

Population in the district is unevenly distributed. Most of the settlements are sparsely populated with very few densely populated areas which have populations of more than 5,000 people and above. Another feature of the District population distribution is that, most of the communities with high populations are located close to the trunk road passing through the District from Yamoransa Junction through Assin Fosu to Kumasi. The others, which are rural, are dispersed and dotted all over the District. This makes it difficult or very expensive to locate or provide basic social amenities to benefit a large number of people.

Migration

The trend of migration in the District is basically rural-urban. This is primarily due to the predominantly rural nature of the District and the fact that attractive job opportunities are located mainly in the larger communities or urban centers. The above constitutes internal migration.

There is also out migration where people travel outside the District to places like Mankessim, Takoradi, Oda, Swedru, Kumasi and Accra

The District also experiences some in-migration from other places into the Districts. The 2010 Population and Housing Census reports a total of 28,529 migrants into the district with varying length of stay.

n terms of the origins, migrants from the Western region constitute the highest proportion. It is estimated that 60 - 70% of the cocoa and citrus farmers in the District are migrant farmers from other locations outside the district.

Household Composition and Structure:

The Household composition and structure are direct reflection of the social structure, economic activities, and level of education, migrations and sometimes traditional religious beliefs.

Being a typical Akan speaking area and matrilineal in inheritance, the household units in the District are traditional. Except for the slight effect of modernization, the extended family system is dominant with more than one household living in the same housing unit.

The structure of the household therefore is defined in terms of the relationship of members of the household to one person they accept and recognize as family head. Members of the household are therefore the family head and the lineage (children, sisters, grand children and great grandchildren).

Household Size

Household size is the total number of persons in a household irrespective of age, sex or residential status. The welfare of each member is directly linked to the size of that household. This is because the resources that are available to the individual household members may be influenced by the size of the household. The average household size in the district estimated at 4.0 persons as at the 2010 PHC. This figure is comparable to the Regional figure of 4.0 but slightly lower than the national average of 4.4. The figures also vary with individual communities. The household size for rural communities are slightly higher (4.0) than that of the urban areas (3.9)

Development Implications

The overall demographic characteristics pose the following challenges of:
• The need to put up programmes aimed at meeting the development needs of the large dependant population size.
• Nurturing the high infant and dependant population to maturity.
• Managing the high fertility rates to reduce population growth rate and size.
• Managing and developing the high rural population and ensure the provision of the needed development interventions.

In addition, Population control measures must be put in place to avoid over Population. Promotion of planned settlement Housing, good housing types, and use of appropriate technologies including building materials are also pertinent issues of development that need to be addressed. The District can adopt using religious denomination as an agent of development and involvement of the majority of people who are women in decision-making.

• Introduction of alternate employment opportunities to accelerate development and reducing over dependence on agriculture.
• Improving literacy rates as a measure of accelerated development.
• Empowering female with emphasis on rural women as a measure of accelerating development.
• Population age, sex and labour distributions are factors that should be key in determining project planning horizon, project type, project target, and project cycle.

Labour Force

The potential labour force within any given population is calculated using persons aged 15–64 years. According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the potential working force of the district, constitutes 52.8% of the total population. Assuming the proportion of the working force doesn’t change significantly within the plan period, the statistics of the district’s potential working force is shown in the table below

Table 10: Projected Labour Force (15 – 64) 2014 – 2017)

Source: DPCU 2017