Population

The total population of Ho Municipality is about 200,000 according to the year 2000 population and housing census. The urban population comprising three towns in the Municipality as details in being   37%   while   the   rural   population is 126,107 being 63%. 

Household Characteristics

The average household size in the urban centres range between 4.1 for Kpedze and Ho, and 4.7 for (Tsito) whilst that of rural settlements range between 3.2 for Shia and 6.6 for Atikpui for the first -fourteen    biggest    rural    settlements    in    the   Municipality.

The average annual population growth rate in the Municipality is 1.17%. This is below that of the national figure of 2.7% and regional average of 1.7%.

This low growth rate is attributable to people going out of the Municipality. The only fast growing urban centre is Ho with 3.1% growth rate. Kpedze was the second largest town in the municipality by 1970 but today ranks the third with growth rate of 0.6%. Some rural settlements which are diminishing in size are Amedzofe (- 0.3%), Ziavi - Dzogbe (- 0.75%), and Tsibu (- 1. 68%). Rural settlements with high growth

Environment

The current condition of the natural environment can be described as follows: Destruction of the forest by annual bush fires. Indiscriminate felling of trees for charcoal firewood and timber production. Inappropriate farming practices, for example slope cultivation and farming on land around watercourses.  Winning of aggregates for constructional purposes (eg. Sand and stone) Illegal hunting and farming in Game Reserves i.e. the Kalakpa Game reserve.

The Built Environment

Apart from Ho, there are no approved layouts in the Municipality therefore land use planning and development control, which are critical for orderly development, are non - existent. Only the Municipal capital, Ho which is also the regional capital has Digital Base Maps prepared under the URBAN III Project. These are not without problems. Drainage system in the Ho Township is poor resulting in deterioration of most of the roads. However, with the arrival of the Department of Urban Roads, the situation is being rectified.

Waste Management

The development of new public latrines and a final waste disposal site for liquid and solid waste, the supply of Sanitation Vehicles and equipment under the URBAN III Project have improved the waste management situation in Ho Township. Despite these provisions, the facilities for both liquid and solid waste disposal are still inadequate; resulting in the indiscriminate disposal of solid and liquid waste. The sanitation vehicles have also become old and need replacement. 

Under the Urban III Project, 8 Public places of convenience (Aqua Privies) have also been rehabilitated in Ho.  As a result of the muddy nature of the soil in some parts of the Municipality, during the rainy season, the Cesspool Emptier finds it difficult to get access to some public latrines to empty them when they are full. The Urban III project also assisted in the construction of 517 domestic toilets in the Municipality. This was however restricted to only Ho and its dormitory towns.

Slaughter House

There are two slaughter house in the Municipality, located at Ho and Kpedze. The facilities are unprotected from scavengers and flies and no Drainage and washing facilities have been provided to keep the slabs clean. The two slaughterhouses use water from the nearby streams for washing meat and discharge waste into it.