Population

The total population of the Municipality is 86,884, representing 3.95 percent of the population of the Central Region (2,202,863). Females constitute 45,981 (52.9%) whilst males represent 40,903 (47.1%). This means there are more females than males in the Metropolitan area. The sex ratio 89, implies 89 males per 100 females which is lower than that recorded for the region and nation, 91.2 and 92.3, respectively (GSS, 2012; GSS, 2014). At the early youthful ages (0-14 years), the sex ratio is 100.4 while at the older ages (65 years and older) it is as low as 56. This is so because biologically, there is an expectation of more males than females at birth. Throughout life, it is also expected that at every age mortality rates for females would be lower than that of males.

Age distribution

 Age and sex are the most basic characteristics of a given population. Every population has a different age and sex composition signifying the number and proportions of males and females in each age group. This structure can have considerable impact on the population’s current and future social and economic situation (Haupt and Kane, 2011). There is however variations within the age cohorts in the District, for example, from age 20-24, the population starts decreasing sharply for males than females.

One distinguishing feature of the population is the sex ratio (98.7) of males to females in the age cohorts of 0-4. Scientifically, there should be more males than females within the age group of 0-4, but this proves otherwise for this population. Age and Sex structure is better explained using population pyramid. The shape of the pyramid is largely influenced by the levels of fertility, mortality and migration. Table 1 presents the age-sex structure of Awutu Senya East Municipality.

Table 9: Age-sex structure of Awutu Senya East Municipal

Source: GSS 2014

Figure 7 depicts the age-sex structure of the population of Awutu Senya East Municipality.

 The broad base of the pyramid depicts a younger population consisting of large numbers of children and the narrow apex signifies a small older population. The shape of the District’s population pyramid closely mirrors that of the region. The pyramid depicts a broad base up to age 19, after which there is a sharp decline for males more than females. At age 20 and above, age reduction is sharper for males than for females indicating more females than males. With increasing age, the proportion of males is slightly smaller than females, indicating that at older ages, the proportion of males is lower than that of females. The high proportion of the populations aged 0-24 years indicates that the population in the district is more youthful.

This implies the need for more investment in education, but also there should equally be an investment health so as to protect the aged in the population. The population below 15 years (0-14 years) is 41.4 percent. The total labour force (15-64 years) is 53.9 percent of the total population while the elderly population (65 years and older) is 4.7 percent. The age dependency ratio is therefore 85.5. This means that there are 86 persons in the non-working ages (dependents) for every 100 people in the working ages (independents). This is higher as compared to the regional and national figure of 81.4 and 79.2, respectively.

The Municipality has a smaller labour force as compared to that of the region (55.1) which implies a smaller human resource base for socio-economic development. The lower dependency ratio is more likely to affect economic growth as persons in the working ages (independents) have to spend less on the dependent population. If authorities however fail to tackle issues such as putting in place measures to keep the human population at a sustainable number, there could be increased pressures placed on government finances, leading to higher borrowing or higher taxes (which could create disincentives to work and reduce disposable income) which in the long run affect the country’s economic growth.

Figure 7: Population Pyramid of Awutu Senya East Municipal

Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2014a)

Dependency ratio

The dependency ratio which measures the ratio of dependent population (population aged under 15 years and above 64 years) to population in the “working-age group” (population aged 15-64 years) is one of the key indicators of socioeconomic development. Generally the ratio is high in developing regions of the world than developed regions, reflecting demographic experiences of the two regions. Table 10 further provides information on dependency ratios for Awutu Senya East Municipality. The district total age dependency of 85.5 dependents (child and old age) to 100 working population is quite high. The dependency ratio is relatively high for the male population (90.9) than the female population (80.9).

Table 10: Population by age, sex and type of locality
 
Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2010 Population and Housing Census

Fertility, mortality and migration

Fertility, mortality and migration are the three components of population change that determine the size, age-sex composition and distribution of the population at a particular point in time. Data on these three components are critical for planning the overall socioeconomic development of the district. The objective of this section of the report is to provide analysis of fertility, mortality and migration patterns in the district using data from the 2010 population and housing census.

Fertility

Measures of fertility are important in determining the size and structure of the population. Information on fertility in the district is therefore critical for the management of the population for social and economic development. This section reports on fertility levels in the Municipality.

Two types of fertility measures are used to examine levels of fertility in the district. These are current fertility measures and cumulative fertility measures. Current fertility measures such as total fertility rate (TFR) are based on data covering a short period of time such as a year ( in the case of population censuses) or five years (in surveys), while cumulative measures such as mean children ever born are based on retrospective fertility data covering women’s reproductive performance over their lifetime.

The most commonly used measures of current fertility are the total fertility rate (TFR). It is defined as the number of children a woman would have by the end of her childbearing years if she were to experience the currently observed age-specific fertility rates.

Migration

Migration refers to change in usual place of residence. A migrant is therefore defined as a person whose usual place of residence is different from his/her place of birth or previous residence. The importance of measuring migration lies in its impact on the population size, structure and distribution in the Municipality.

Migration is difficult to measure due to its repetitiveness and difficulty in establishing direction and permanency of the event. Nevertheless census information on birthplace and duration of residence is used to discuss migration patterns in the district. At the district level, migration may involve the movement of people between the district and other localities in the Central Region (intra-regional migration) or the movement of people between the district and other regions in Ghana.

Table 17 shows the birthplace of migrants and the period over which they have resided in the District. There are a total of 25,312 migrants in the District forming 29.1 percent of the population of the District. The analysis looked at the duration of residence of the various migrant groups in the District. The largest proportion (26.7%) is residents between 1-4 years while the lowest proportion of migrants (15 percent) has resided in the Municipality between 5-9 years.

Analysis of the origins of migrants born in other regions into the district shows those migrants from Greater Accra, Volta and Eastern Regions have the highest proportions in the total population. Migrants from the Upper East and Upper West regions have the least duration of residence among those who have been in the District for 20 years and more. Interestingly, the Municipality has migrants from outside Ghana making up 1,338 out of the total population of migrants.

Table 17: Birthplace by Duration of Residence of Migrants

Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2010 Population and Housing Census.

Natural Resources

The Municipality is endowed with historical natural sites which would need some level of marketing and investment (Field Survey, 2014). Forests around Akrampa, Bontrase, Bawuanum, Bosomabena and other areas could be developed with canopy walk ways. The forests at Akrampa (Aprah forest) is classified as a Hill Sanctuary by the forestry commission and can therefore be developed into an eco-tourism site to receive tourists who would want to have quite times during holiday periods. The other forests also contain different tree species and animals and also can be developed into eco-tourism sites which can yield income for the Municipality and the nation as a whole.

The problem however is that, the forests in the district have not been gazetted and this makes it difficult maintaining them and preventing encroachment by developers who have purchased the lands from the chiefs claiming ownership of the forests. The Forestry Commission staff and the District Assembly are making efforts to safeguard the forests but it’s becoming increasingly difficult.

The Ayensu River also passes through the District at Ayensuako. The topography of the hinterlands of the District is characterised largely by Hills and Valleys and this gives the potential for creation of Dams for irrigation purposes. There are few of those Dams in the District that pineapple farmers have developed for irrigation purposes.

The Municipality is also blessed with a coastal stretch of about 1km. the whole of the community of Senya, the most populated community and peri-urban in nature is located along the Gulf of Guinea. A Fort called Fort Good Hope, built by the Dutch and considered the second Fort/Castle built in the central region of Ghana is located in Senya.

Gender Analysis

Gender of the Municipality presents the societal role and responsibilities of men and women, boys, and girls, as well as power relations between them and how these influence access and control over resources such as land, credit and technology; access to time, markets, information (especially on available public services), and public institutions (decision-making). It also identify the practical needs and interests (basic services such as education, health, water and sanitation etc.), and the strategic needs / interest (which will lead to a change in the status of men and women, such as facilitating access to rights and entitlements, and empowerment), and their implications for service delivery.

I. Health:

Construction of more CHIPS Compound within the WHO stipulated radius will improve women and children’s access to timely reproductive health care, which will help reduce maternal and infant mortality in our communities.

 II. Social Infrastructure:

There is a low participation of women at all levels of decisionmaking including public service, and district assembly representation. Women’s participation has been low in the District Assembly election.

III. Increasing women’s participation and representation in decision-making committees:

For example Works’ Committees, PTAs, SMCs, market management committees etc. will result in the construction of gender friendly facilities for instance, separate KVIPs / toilets for women and men, boys and girls; day care centres for children, clinics and security lighting in market in communities and schools. Their participation gives the voice to express their concerns/ needs in the construction of facilities they will use. Again, it is human rights, good governance and a sustainable development issues that values and reflects their contributions to enhance national progress.

IV. Stakeholder participation:

The engagement and consultation of citizen as stakeholders before, during and after the design and implementation of any intervention or service is important because of the vested interest they have in such an activity or service. A stakeholder could be an individual, group of people or an organisation that has interest and can be affected or is affected in a project or initiative. The rationale for conducting stakeholder identification, analysis and participation is for women and men; girls and boys to be sufficiently equipped with the right information so as to communicate their needs

Table 18: Number/percentage (No / %) of school-going age population disaggregated by sex

Table 19: Reported total fertility rate, general fertility rate and crude birth rate by Awutu –Senya District

Source: Ghana Statistical Survey, 2010 Population and Housing Census

Note: * Number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-49 years ** Number of live births per 1,000 population

Table 20: Female population 12 years and older by age, children ever born, children surviving and sex of child

Source: Ghana Statistical Survey, 2010 Population and Housing Census

Table 21: Number / percentage of staff of ASDA disaggregated by sex

Table 22: Number/ percentage of population in leadership positions at the community level disaggregated by sex

Table 23: Number/Percentage of Persons Involved in Local Planning and Decision Making Disaggregated by Sex

Table 24: Number/Percentage of Persons in Decision Making Positions in Assembly Executive, Sub-committee e.tc. Disaggregated by Sex