Cultural and Social Structure

The Techiman Traditional Council is the traditional authority in the Municipality and Bonos are the natives of the land. The dominant ethnic groups in the Municipality are the Akans/Bono, Gonjas, Dagombas, Sisalas and Mamprusis. Each group has its own local head and displays its own culture. The traditional council is constituted by twenty-eight Divisional Chiefs including the Omanhene. The council is currently headed by the Omanhene and President of the Techiman Traditional Council, Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV.

The people have unique traditions and culture with the major festivals being the Apour and Yam festivals. The annual Apour festival is celebrated between April and May. The major significance is that it gives the citizenry the right to come out openly to interact with those in authority. This promotes effective social cohesion and development.

This demonstrates democratization of the rule of law and good governance. On the other hand, the Yam festival is celebrated annually between August and September to mark the two farming seasons. It serves as thanksgiving to the Almighty God and the ancestral spirits for a bumper harvest. This helps maintain the relationship between the ancestral spirits and the living. During these seasons, there is opportunity for investors and other private individuals to engage in various 6

economic activities. The Techiman Traditional Council and the local governance system ensure peaceful co-existence among the various ethnic groups. It also promotes tourism and acts as the custodian of culture of the people.

Tourism

The location of the Municipality has a contrasting ecological zone of forest and the savannah. The sacred river Tano takes its source from the Traditional Area and enters the sea in Ivory Coast. The fish and crocodiles in this river are sacred to the Bono people and thus gives a rich source of knowledge for wildlife studies and serves as tourist attraction. The chains of rocks, caves and wildlife within the environs have made the Municipality one of the most patronized tourist destinations in recent times. These historical, scientific, cultural and aesthetic sites await its development as tourist locations for wealth creation and to generate local employment.

Some of the potential sites are as follows; The Amanfoomu sacred grove (Nana Ameyaw shrine) in Techiman, the ancient Nsamankwa forest, the rich culture and traditions of the Bono people including the chieftaincy institution, Apour and Yam festivals, the source of the sacred river Tano at Tanoboase and the sacred fish and crocodiles in the river, the Tanoboase sacred grove believed to be the cradle of Bono civilization and the Boten (Rock) shrine as well as the magic caves and Holy Mountains all at Oforikrom.

There are also, hotels which provide accommodation for various tourist, visitors, traders and passers-by. These include; twenty-five hotels and guesthouses or lodges which provide affordable rest places for all category of persons. The standard and services of the hospitality industry are comparable to international standards and the Municipality is endowed with reach natural and human resources to support the private sector to invest and create employmen.

Traditional authority

The traditional authority plays a very important role in the local government system of the Municipality and is therefore considered as an essential part of the decentralization process. In the rural areas particularly, they command the respect of large numbers. Traditional authorities therefore have a crucial role to play in facilitating government policies and mobilizing their people for development. Another key role of the traditional Authority is the issue of support for land administration reforms. With a large migrant farmer population in the Municipality, the issue of security of land tenure and the protection of the vulnerable becomes very crucial.

The role of traditional authority in this context holds positive contribution to economic and social transformation. Partnership with traditional authority could therefore provide a mechanism for improved consultation and co-operation.