History

An ancient town, Techiman is rich in history and culture.  It is the  birth place of the Bronkyempim Movement which finally gave rise to the creation of  the Brong Ahafo Region.  It was the famous Nana Akumfi Ameyaw II, then  Omanhene of Techiman, who initiated the whole process that finally led to the  separation of the then Western Ashanti to form Brong Ahafo Region in 1959.

Centuries earlier, Techiman, the legendary birthplace of the Akan people,  was the nerve center of the ancient Bono Kingdom which was rich in gold and had strong trading links with the ancient Kingdoms of the Savanna and Sahel,  notably Timbuktu and Egypt.

According to Bono Techiman traditions, the  forebears of the Techiman people were the pioneer Akan people to settle in the area  occupied today by the people of the Brong-Ahafo Region.  It is not surprising  that today, Techiman is at the center of major crossroads with an important  marketing center.  The most densely populated settlement, Techiman, the district  capital, has a population of about 177,324 (2000 Pop. Census) with a current  land area of about 18 square kilometers.

Techiman is host to a major central market, which is the largest food  market in Ghana and an important market in the whole of West Africa, attracting  merchants from countries such as Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Fasso, Togo and  Cote d’Ivoire.  Internally, traders from all over the country, especially  Tamale, Bawku, Kumasi, Bolgatanga, Hamile, Bole, Accra, Winneba, Cape Coast,  Takoradi, Axim and Tema converge on Techiman, especially on main market days.

The central market is a big commercial center especially in agricultural goods.   The market days are from Wednesdays to Fridays.  Price haggling and bargaining  is a particularly delightful pastime by many Ghanian merchants or sellers  which you must become accustomed to if you are to "survive," especially when you are buying in the streets or in the market. Photo.

The "Ahenifie," the palace of the Omanhene and the seat of the Techiman  Traditional Council, is located at the center of the town.  It is the custodian  of a rich cultural heritage, handed down from generation to generation,  replete with ancient legends of conquests, trade, folklores, proverbs, customs,  traditions and belief systems.  The current Omanhene of Techiman, Nana Osabarima  Dotobibi Takyia-Ameyaw II, heads twenty-eight divisional and sub-divisional  chiefs.  Together, they make up the Techiman Traditional Council.

The Chieftaincy system has played a pivotal role in enhancing the  socio-economic and political development of the Techiman district.  One of the  highlights of this progressive posture was when Nana Owusu Gyare II, the Akwamuhene  of the Techiman Traditional Area, was given the "Tourism Personality of the  Year" award in 2002.  This was in recognition of his immense contribution to  tourism promotion in the Techiman district.  The same year witnessed the award of  "Best Community-Initiated tourism" to the Tanoboase community led by Nana  Amisare Dwomo, the Tnoboasehene.