PROFILE OF BONO EAST REGION
- PHYSICAL FEATURES
1.1 Background
The Bono East Region was created on 13th February 2019 by Constitutional Instrument (CI) 113 with Techiman as the Regional Capital. It was carved out of the erstwhile Brong Ahafo Region.
This was after 448,545 voters in the Region (99.50%) voted in favour of the creation of the Region in a referendum held on 27th December 2018. The Region has eleven (11) Assemblies under its jurisdiction: four (4) Municipal and seven (7) District Assemblies. The Municipal Assemblies are Techiman, Kintampo, Nkoranza South and Atebubu Amantin. The District Assemblies are Kintampo South, Techiman North, Nkoranza North, Sene West, Sene East, Pru West and Pru East.
1.2. Location and Size
The Bono East Region is located in mid Ghana and serves as a transit for travelers from the South to the Northern part of Ghana. It shares boundaries with the Savannah Region at the North, Bono Region at the West, Ashanti Region at the South and the Volta Lake at the East. The Region covers an area of 23,654.54km2 representing ten percent (10%) of Ghana’s total land size.
Table 1: Land Distribution
| District | Land Size (sq.km) |
| Atebubu Amantin Municipal | 2,264 |
| Kintampo Municipal | 5,105 |
| Kintampo South | 1,513.34 |
| Nkoranza North | 2,322 |
| Nkoranza South | 1,100 |
| Pru (East/West) | 2,195 |
| Sene East | 4893 |
| Sene West | 3,262 |
| Techiman Municipal | 669.7 |
| Techiman North | 330.5 |
| Total | 23,654.54 |
1.3 Relief and Drainage
The land rises from an average height of 200m in the southern and eastern parts to 700m in the northern part around Kintampo. The Region has two (2) main drainage systems namely the Black Volta and its tributaries to the north and north east and the Tano and its tributaries to the South.
1.4 Climate, Vegetation and Soil
The Region has high daily temperatures between 230c and 390C and records high rainfall ranging between 1,000mm in the transitional zone and 1,400mm in the south-western section. The corresponding effect of the high temperature and rainfall is semi-deciduous forest vegetation in the south-western portion and guinea savannah woodland in the north and north-eastern corridor. The common tree species are wawa, emire, edinam, senya, kyenkyen, onyina (ceiba), watapuo, rosewood and otie in the south and baobab, dawadawa and shea trees in the north. Three main soil types are found in the Region. They are the forest ochrosols in the south-western part, savannah ochrosols in the middle zone and laterite ochrosols in the northern section. These soils support the cultivation of wide range of crops from foodstuffs, cereals, vegetables, legumes to root and tree crops.
- POPULATION AND SETTLEMENT
2.1 Population
The overall population of the Bono East Region as at 2010 was approximately 903,256 with a growth rate of 2.3 percent and an average density of about 38.2 people per square kilometer. Table 2 shows the various Districts, their capitals, land areas and population characteristics.
Table 2: Population Distribution of various Districts and their Capitals
| No. | District | Capital | Land Area sq.km | Population | Population Density(per person sq.km) |
| 1. | Atebubu Amantin Municipal | Atebubu | 2,264 | 105,938 | 46.8 |
| 2. | Kintampo Municipal | Kintampo | 5,105 | 95,480 | 18.7 |
| 3. | Kintampo South | Jema | 1,513.34 | 81,100 | 53.6 |
| 4. | Nkoranza North | Busunya | 2,323 | 65,895 | 28.4 |
| 5. | Nkoranza South Municipal | Nkoranza | 1,100 | 100,929 | 91.8 |
| 6. | Pru * | Yeji | 2,195 | 129,248 | 58.9 |
| 7. | Sene East | Kajaji | 4,893 | 61,076 | 12.5 |
| 8. | Sene West | Kwame Danso | 3,262 | 57,734 | 17.7 |
| 9. | Techiman Municipal | Techiman | 669.7 | 147,788 | 220.7 |
| 10 | Techiman North | Tuobodom | 330.5 | 59,068 | 178.7 |
| Total | 23,654.54 | 904,256 | 38.2 |
Source: Ghana Statistical Service 2010 PHC (GSS2013c)
*The Pru District was divided into Pru East and Pru West Districts in 2018
The Region is among the most sparsely populated areas in the Country with density of 35.7 persons per square Kilometre far below the National Density of 103. The Techiman Municipal is the most populous, followed by Atebubu Amantin Municipal Assembly and Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly with population size above 100,000. Sene West has the lowest population in the Region, followed by Techiman North with population below 60,000.
Table 3: Population Distribution in Bono East Region by District, 2010
| No. | District | Male | Female | Total | Percentage Distribution |
| Techiman Municipal | 71,732(48.5) | 76,056(51.5) | 147,788 | 16.35 | |
| Pru * | 65,832(50.9) | 63,416(49.1) | 129,248 | 14.29 | |
| Atebubu Amantin Municipal | 53,674(50.7) | 52,264(49.3) | 105,938 | 11.72 | |
| Nkoranza South Municipal | 50,071(49.6) | 50,858(50.4) | 100,927 | 11.16 | |
| Kintampo Municipal | 47,302(49.5) | 48,178(50.5) | 95,480 | 10.56 | |
| Kintampo South | 42,129(52.0) | 38,871(48.0) | 81,000 | 8.96 | |
| Nkoranza North | 33,263(50.5) | 32,632(49.9) | 65,895 | 7.29 | |
| Sene East | 32,211(52.7) | 28,865(47.3) | 61,075 | 6.75 | |
| Techiman North | 28,766(48.7) | 30,302(51.3) | 59,068 | 6.53 | |
| Sene West | 29,263(50.7) | 28,471(49.3) | 57,734 | 6.39 | |
| All District | 454,243 | 449,913 | 904,153 | 100.0 |
2.2 Settlement
The Region is predominantly rural in character with about 55.5% of the population being rural and 44.5% urban. Techiman is the most urbanized while Kintampo South is the least urbanized district in the Region. The principal towns in the Bono East Region are Techiman, Kintampo, Atebubu, Nkoranza and Yeji.
2.3 Migration
People migrate from one Region to another or outside the country for a number of reasons including economic, social, educational opportunities or conflicts. More than two-thirds (67.5%) of the people in the Bono East Region reside in their places of birth and are not migrants. Nearly two-fifths (19.8%) of the people in the Region are in-migrants while a little over one-tenth (11.7%) are out-migrants (GSS2013).
This is so because a number of the youth (mostly males) from the Region, particularly from the Techiman Municipal Assembly migrate to other areas in the Region or other parts of the country or outside with greater opportunities for agricultural production, industrial development and economic growth. Nonetheless, some districts like Sene East, Kintampo South and Pru East, have attracted a large male population from both in and outside the Region due to their enormous economic potentials (farming and fishing).
2.4 Ethnic Composition
The Bono East Region is ethnically diverse. It is mostly dominated by Bonos and Akans (41.5%). Other ethnic groups include Mole-Dagbon (22.2%) Grusi (6.9%) Mande (1.5%), Gurmas (12.3%) Guans, Ewes (4.3%) and Ga-Dangmes (1.2%). The Ewe and Ga-Damgme tribes are largely fisher folks who have settled along and ply their trade on the Volta Lake.
- SOCIAL SERVICES
3.1 Education
There has been a steady increase in the number of schools over the years mainly due to the efforts of government, involvements of religious groups, private sector initiative and some donor support. There are 796 pre-schools, 808 primary schools, 419 Junior High Schools, 33 Senior High Schools as shown in Table 4.
Table 4: Educational Institutions in the Bono East Region, 2013/2014
| Institutions | Number |
| Pre- School | 796 |
| Primary School | 808 |
| Junior High Schools | 419 |
| Senior High Schools | 33 |
| Tertiary | 5 |
Table 4.1: Educational Institutions in the Bono East Region by District, 2013/2014
| District | Pre-School | Primary School | JHS | SHS | Tertiary |
| 1. Techiman Municipal/ Techiman North | 218 | 218 | 134 | 13 | 3 |
| 2. Pru (East/ West) | 107 | 107 | 56 | 5 | |
| 3. Nkoranza Municipal | 95 | 95 | 52 | 3 | |
| 4. Atebubu Amantin Mun. | 85 | 91 | 36 | 3 | 1 |
| 5. Kintampo South | 84 | 87 | 37 | 2 | |
| 6. Sene East/West | 82 | 82 | 29 | 2 | |
| 7. Kintampo Municipal | 79 | 79 | 45 | 3 | 1 |
| 8. Nkoranza North | 46 | 49 | 30 | 2 | |
| All Districts | 796 | 808 | 419 | 33 | 5 |
The Tertiary Institutions in the Region are:
- Valley View University – Techiman campus
- Atebubu College of Education
- Kintampo College of Health
- Techiman Midwifery and Nursery Training College
- Krobo Nursing Training College
3.2 Health
The Region has no Regional Hospital. It can however boast of seven (7) District Hospitals, 33 Health Centres and 117 CHPs compounds and 12 Midwife/Maternity Home as shown in table 5 below
Table 5: Distribution of Health Facilities in Bono East Region by District
| District | District Hospital | Health Centre | CHPs Compound | Midwife/Maternity |
| Nkoranza Municipal | 1 | 7 | 21 | 0 |
| Nkoranza North | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0 |
| Pru * | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Kintampo South | 1 | 2 | 19 | 1 |
| Kintampo Municipal | 1 | 3 | 12 | 1 |
| Techiman Municipal | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Techiman North | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Atebubu Amantin Municipal | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Sene West | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Sene East | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| All District | 7 | 33 | 117 | 12 |
Table 5 shows that Nkoranza Municipal Assembly (29) is the most endowed District in the provision of health facilities in the Region, followed by Nkoranza North 24. On the other hand, Sene East District Assembly is the most deprived in health facility provision.
Three (3) Districts in the Bono East Region – Nkoranza North, Techiman North and Sene East do not have hospital facility. However, Techiman North is not far from the Techiman Holy Family Hospital.
3.3 Water and Sanitation
Access to potable water improves the health status of the people, saves time for other productive activities especially for women, and enhances school attendance particularly for the girl child. Available safe water sources are pipe borne (Techiman) mechanized boreholes, 21 small town pipe systems and 1126 boreholes, serving about 70% of the total population. The Ghana Water Company Limited operates in only Techiman, the Regional capital and serves other smaller surrounding settlements under different head works (water system).
The Rural water coverage of the Region stands at 61.3% as compared with 60.1 for the Greater Accra, 60.7% for Upper East Region and 72.9% for Ashanti Region (CWSA 2014).
Eight (8) Districts have water coverage below the regional average of 61.3% They are Kintampo South, Nkoranza South Municipal, Pru East, Pru West, Nkoranza North, Sene East, Techiman Municipal and Techiman North.
A detailed statistics on potable water supply coverage for the various Districts in the Bono East Region has been compiled by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, see table 6 below:
Table 6: District potable water statistics for Bono East Region, 2014
| District | No. of small Town Systems | No of Boreholes | Population Estimate | Population served | Coverage % |
| Atebubu Amantin | 3 | 151 | 106,179 | 78,043 | 73.50 |
| Kintampo Municipal | 3 | 117 | 113,347 | 82,285 | 72.60 |
| Sene West | 1 | 138 | 65,528 | 44,896 | 68.51 |
| Kintampo South | 3 | 117 | 83,089 | 50,355 | 60.60 |
| Nkoranza South Municipal | 4 | 92 | 95,185 | 57,563 | 60.47 |
| Pru (East/West) | 4 | 221 | 142,637 | 84,341 | 59.13 |
| Nkoranza North | 1 | 103 | 68,630 | 36,568 | 53.28 |
| Sene East | 1 | 69 | 36,578 | 18,574 | 50.78 |
| Techiman Municipal | 1 | 86 | 94,706 | 33,008 | 34.85 |
| Techiman North | 0 | 32 | 40,564 | 11,289 | 27.83 |
| All District | 21 | 1126 | 846,443 | 496,922 | 58.70 |
Source: CWSA 2014
- ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
4.1. Agriculture
The Region’s agriculture is subsistence small holding production units, with weak linkages to industrial and service sectors but has an enormous potential to ensure food security, generate income and provide livelihood for majority of the people.
Agriculture is thus a predominant economic activity in the Region (farming and minimal rearing of livestock). The Volta Lake also provides an avenue for inland fishing activities with Yeji being a major centre.
About 61.3 percent of the economically active population is engaged in agricultural activities comprising crop farming, fishing and livestock farming. Crop such as maize, yam, cashew, cassava, groundnut, cowpea, watermelon, mangoes, onion, plantain, cocoyam and various vegetables ranging from tomatoes to cabbage are produced in the Region.
Kintampo, Techiman, Nkoranza and Atebubu Amantin are popular for the production of yam. Cash crops such as cashew, ginger and mango which can boost economic growth in the Region are cultivated in the area. Sene West and Nkoranza North Districts as well as Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly are major producers of maize and non-traditional crops like water melon, cabbage, carrot, pineapple, sweet potato, sesame, sunflower, cashew and soya.
The valleys of the two major rivers (the Volta and the Sene) in the Region have the potential for the development of small or large-scale irrigation schemes to support agricultural activities.
4.2 Fisheries
The Volta River which serves as the main boarder with the northern sector of the country provides a huge water body for fishing in the Region. Fishing and its related activities are the main occupation for the large number of the people in the riverine communities.
Fresh and smoked fish abound in large quantities requiring further investments to boost the sector and as a tool to reduce poverty and open the area for development. Kintampo Municipal, Pru East, Sene East and Sene West District Assemblies could benefit from investment in the fishing business which will impact on the Regional and the National economy.
4.3. Services and Industry
The other economic activities are trading and vehicle repairs, administration and social services, manufacturing, hospitality, transport and storage services and construction. The Municipal Assemblies which have relatively high proportion of their workforce in the trading and transport services are Techiman Municipal and Kintampo Municipal Assemblies. However, Nkoranza North and Kintampo South District Assemblies have relatively low proportions of their workforce in the trading and transport services.
Tables 7: Industry of employment (15 years and above) for the Bono East Region, 2014
| District | Agriculture Fishing Forestry | Trading and Transport | Manufacturing | Mining and Quarry | Others |
| Techiman Municipal | 41.0 | 27.2 | 9.4 | 0.2 | 22.2 |
| Kintampo Municipal | 54.6 | 19.0 | 7.6 | 0.0 | 18.8 |
| Nkoranza South Municipal | 66.6 | 12.3 | 5.7 | 0.0 | 15.4 |
| Pru | 65.2 | 12.6 | 11.5 | 0.1 | 10.6 |
| Atebubu Amantin Municipal | 66.1 | 14.1 | 5.8 | 0.1 | 13.9 |
| Kintampo South | 78.2 | 6.4 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 11.5 |
| Nkoranza North Municipal | 81.3 | 6.6 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 8.7 |
| Sene West | 72.0 | 6.8 | 14.3 | 0.0 | 6.9 |
| Sene East | – | – | – | – | – |
| Techiman North | – | – | – | – | – |
| All District | 61.3 | 14.0 | 7.0 | 0.7 | 17.0 |
Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2013
Industrial development provides foundation for long-term growth and economic transformation. The predominant industrial establishment in the Bono East Region are wood processing, food processing, cashew processing, sheanut processing, gari processing and fish production with most of these industries located at Techiman, the Regional Capital.
Table 8: Industrial establishment in Bono east Region 2014
| Type of Industry | Location |
| Wood processing | Techiman |
| Aluminium sheets production | Techiman |
| Ghana Nut (food processing) | Techiman |
| Cashew processing | Techiman |
| Sheanut processing | Techiman |
| Gari processing | Krobo, Aworowa, Apesika |
| Fish processing | Yeji, Parambo and Kajaji |
Source: Ministry of Trade and Industries/ Factories Inspectorate Department Data, 2014
A number of small-scale processing mills which handle agricultural and forest products (palm nut and groundnut oil, rice mills, fish and gari processing and wood mills) are also scattered throughout the Region. There are other small scale industrial activities such as textiles (batik, tie and dye) garment and dress making, soap making and metal works.
The females dominate in hospitality services (88.9%), trading 69.6%, manufacturing (64.9%) and human health and social work (52.4%). The most physical intensive activities such as construction (97.8%) are male dominated (GSS 2013).
The Techiman market is noted for its popularity as the largest food market centre not only in the Region and Ghana as a whole, but in the West African sub-region at large. The market has made Techiman a commercial centre with brisk wholesale and retail activities involving people from different countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire etc. Aside Techiman large food market centres exist in Kintampo, Nkoranza, Atebubu, Yeji, and Kajaji. The availability of market coupled with fertile land for farming account for large migration of people into the Region for settlement and for business transaction as well as employment.
4.4 Tourism
Over the past decade, tourism has become one of the most important and fastest growing sectors of the national economy and has sufficiently demonstrated its potential as a sector that can contribute immensely in attracting private investment, generating employment and enhancing industrial diversification.
The Region has a significant potential for tourism development but the tourist attraction and the hospitality industry are less developed. Some of the prominent tourist attractions in the Bono East Region are the waterfalls, (Kintampo, Fuller), Tanoboase sacred Groves, Buoyam caves, Boabeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary, Digya forest in Sene and rich festivals such as; the Apoo of the chiefs and people of Techiman, Yam festival (celebrated by most paramouncies in the Region) which attract people from all walks of life. These festivals can be used as a development tool and a rallying point for the development and peaceful co-existence of the people.
The Bono East Region can also boast of some appreciable hotels and guest houses. The prominent ones are Encom, Dery, Premier Palace, Relax and Agyeiwaa Memorial (Techiman) Yakam, Royal Diamond and Falls Palace (Kintampo), Kwapons (Atebubu) Dowotamfo (Bantama) and Anini Lodge (Yeji).
The major challenges affecting tourism development in the Region are low awareness, poor marketing, inaccessible and undeveloped tourist sites and poor accommodation services (GTA 2014). The sector therefore requires a great deal of development, marketing and promotion with effective private sector participation.
Table 9: Tourist sites and locations within the Bono East Region
| Category | Tourist Sites | Location |
| Water falls | Kintampo waterfalls, Fuller falls, Dandwa waterfalls, Akropong waterfalls | Kintampo Nkoranza |
| Sanctuaries | Buabeng-fiema monkey sanctuary, Butterfly sanctuary | Nkoranza Kintampo |
| Slave market and relics | Bono Manso slave market, European cemetery, original British buildings | Bono Manso Kintampo Techiman |
| Caves and shrine | Buoyam cave and Bat colony, caves and night lamp, Forikrom Botan shrine and caves , Bee shrine river Tano sacred fish, Tortoise’s shrine | Buoyam Atebubu , Oforikrom, Tano, Tano Boase, Duabone |
| Parks | Geographical centre of Ghana | Kintampo |
| Palace | Magical Bell Palace of the paramount chief of Nkoranza | Atebubu Nkoranza |
| Sacred Groves | Tano Boase sacred Grove Amantoomu scared Grove (Nana Ameyaw shrine Ancient Nsamankwa forest Kristo Boase monastery | Tanoboase Techiman Techiman Techiman |
4.5. Financial Institutions
The GCB Bank, CBG, adb Bank, NIB, Fidility Bank, Prudential Bank, absa Bank, Republic Bank, Universal Merchant Bank, GT Bank and Omni Bank are the existing commercial banks serving the Bono East Region. The name and branches of major commercial Banks in the Bono East Region (2019) are depicted in table 10 below.
Table 10: Branches of major commercial banks in Bono East Region, 2019
| Bank | Branches |
| GCB | Techiman, Kintampo, Nkoranza |
| CBG | Techiman |
| adb | Techiman, Nkoranza, Atebubu |
| NIB | Techiman, kintampo |
| absa | Techiman |
| Fidelity | Techiman |
| Prudential | Techiman |
| Republic Bank | Tachiman |
| Universal Merchant Bank | Techiman |
| GT Bank | Techiman |
| Omni Bank | Techiman |
There are also eight (8) existing Rural, Area and Community Banks in the Bono East Region, namely: Baduman, Kintampo, Wamfie, Nkoranza, Fiagya, Amantin-kasei, Yapra and Ejuraman. Apart from serving small and medium scale enterprises or businesses, these rural banks operate in a number of medium-sized settlements in the Region where traditional commercial banks are not operating.
Table 11 depicts the Rural Banks and the communities they are operating in the Region.
Table 11: Agencies of Rural Banks in Bono East Region, 2014
| Bank | Agencies |
| Baduman | Techiman |
| Kintampo | Kintampo, Techiman and Jema |
| Wamfie | Techiman |
| Nkoranza | Techiman, Tuobodom |
| Fiagya | Busunya, Nkoranza, Techiman |
| Amantin-kasei | Amantin, Atebubu, Yeji, Kwame Danso, Kajaji |
| Yapra | Prang, Atebubu, Yeji, Kwame Danso, Kajaji, Parambo, Abease and Zabrama |
| Ejuraman | Amantin, Atebubu and Kwame Danso |
The prominent insurance companies in the Region are Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), SIC, UT Life, Star Life and Enterprise Insurance Company.
Other micro financial institutions in the Region include Opportunity International, Multi credit, Pro credit, Bayport Financial Services and Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans and Credit Unions (see table 12)
Table 12: Branches of major micro Financial Institutions in the Bono East Region, 2014
| Bank | Branches |
| Opportunity International | Techiman and Kintampo |
| Multi Credit | Techiman |
| Sinapi Aba | Techiman |
| Pro credit | Techiman |
| Bayport | Techiman and Atebubu |
- ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
Road transport is the dominant mode of transport in Ghana, accounting for 97 percent of passenger traffic and 92 percent of freight traffic. In spite of this, road infrastructure has not developed to a point where both passengers and freight can be transported in a cost efficient and effective manner. Roads transport is characterized by high transport cost, run-down infrastructure, lack of east-west connections, and difficulty in integrating road transport with other modes of transport, a substantial deficit in terms of road development and a backlog of neglected maintenance of all classes of roads.
The above description of the state of roads in Ghana adequately depicts the situation of road infrastructure in the Bono East Region. However, it needs to be mentioned that in Bono East Region, water transport offers an alternative mode of transport but its role in the movement of passenger and freight is limited to the eastern portions of the Region and specifically along the Volta Lake shore communities. Thus where road development is limited or has lagged behind, residents, by default become dependent on water transport.
Road infrastructure in the Region comprises urban roads, feeder roads, highways. The highways are of natural importance as they connect large urban centres or other towns such as District capitals. They are normally of bitumen or asphaltic surfaces but would also have gravel surfaces and are administered by the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA). In contrast, the feeder roads connect smaller towns, villages and other large settlements. They include the many farm-to-market roads and generally all untarred roads. They carry very little average daily traffic volumes in the order of five vehicles (less than 5) to as many as about 20 vehicles a day. Such roads are administered by the Department of Feeder Roads and are primarily of local interest.
The urban roads as the name implies, are essentially all roads in the urban areas, irrespective of their surface type. They have heavy traffic with thousand of vehicles plying on them daily. These roads are administered by the Department of Urban Roads (DUR).
Occasionally, there may be an overlap between GHA and DUR as in the case of a trunk road traversing towns such as Techiman, Nkoranza and Atebubu. The road network comprises 849.5km of trunk or highways, 3,051.03km of feeder roads and 686km of urban roads.
5.1 Highways
The Region has 849.50km length of highways. Amantin Municipal Assembly has the longest length of highways and Pru (East and West) District has the lowest length. All the Districts in the Region have some appreciable length of highways between 87kms and 129.7kms. Most of the highways are single surface treated and gravel roads. Only a short stretch of roads have asphatic concrete surfaces, especially in Kintampo North Municipality and Kintampo South District. Table 12 below depicts the highway road densities.
Table 12: Highway Road Densities in Bono East Region
| Land Area km2 | Road Length | Highway Road Density |
| 22,952 | 849.5 | 0.037 |
An estimated 0.037km/km2 or 37m per km2 is inadequate and indicates the difficulty the people experience in their bid to travel on the highways to access public and government services.
5.2 Feeder Roads
Feeder Roads serve a wide range of functions including transportation of farm produce to the market as well as enhancing access to a range of social and economic facilities and services. The region has a total of 3,051.03km of length of feeder roads. Out of this, 0.4 percent have bitumen surface, 35.4 percent have gravel surfaces and 64.2 percent have earth surfaces. The earth surface roads are not surveyed, designed or constructed.
The condition of the Feeder Roads in the Region indicates that, 92.4 percent of the bitumen surface roads, 31.8 percent of the gravel road and 4.1percent of the earth roads are in good condition. On the other hand, 80.2 percent of Feeder roads with earth surfaces, 32.2 percent of gravel roads and only 0.4 percent of bitumen surface roads are in poor condition. In spatial terms, a greater proportion of poor gravel and earth roads are in Sene West, Sene East, Kintampo North, Kintampo South, Pru East, Pru West and Atebubu-Amantin Districts. Most of the Districts mentioned in the foregoing are incidentally areas with high agricultural production.
Table 13: Feeder Roads Density of Bono East Region
| Land Area (km2) | Road Length (km) | Road Density km/km2 |
| 22.952 | 3,051.03 | 0.113 |
Table 13 indicates that, there is a substantial deficit in feeder roads development in the Region and this has implications for agricultural production as well as access to many government and public services.
5.3 Urban Roads
The Region has 685kms of urban roads. The urban roads are mainly concentrated in the Techiman and Nkoranza South Municipalities. The Techiman Municipality has oversight responsibility for the Nkoranza South municipality, hence the full operation of the DUR is yet to be realized in the Nkoranza South municipality. Apart from Techiman and Nkoranza all other urban areas in the Region do not benefit from DUR’s services. Relatively, large areas including Atebubu Amantin and Kintampo Municipalities are yet to benefit from the operations of the DUR.
- NATURAL RESOURCES
The natural resources potential of the Region remained untapped for a long time. There is evidence supported by geological research by the Mineral’s Commission that the Region abounds in gold, diamond, clay, sandstones, shale and limestone deposits which have not been harnessed for the benefit of the people. Mineral commission’s report indicates Diamond and Gold deposits in Anyima, Mansie and Amoma in the Kintampo South District. Currently, Saladinn Resources Limited has acquired Gold concession to start mining at Donkro-Nkwanta in the Nkoranza municipality, which will create jobs and attract other investors to the area. Premuase in the Sene East District is reported to have petroleum deposit. Six (6) municipalities/districts in the Region; Kintampo North and Atebubu Amantin Municipal Assemblies and Kintampo South, Pru West, Pru East and Sene East District Assemblies are areas captured for the commencing exploration activities in the onshore voltaian Basin for oil and gas exploration and production.
Valuable rocks for quarry products are found in large quantities in the Techiman municipality. Large clay deposits are doted across the Districts in the Region with the potential for bricks and ceramic manufacturing. Again large clay deposit can also be tapped for the manufacturing of cement.
- TELECOMMUNICATION
There has been quite a significant improvement in the telecommunication services in the Bono East Region over the past years due to the introduction of mobile cellular telephones and the installation of numerous communications throughout the Region. Techiman, Atebubu, and Yeji enjoy regular direct line telephone services while Kwame Danso is a satellite.
Mobile phone services are available and effective in all the Districts and settlements in the Region. Currently all the Districts can boast of some appreciable mobile services for more than one of the existing networks, especially Vodafone, MTN, and AirtelTigo internet cafes, found in almost all the urban centres and the District capitals.
There are currently 18 Radio stations operating in 6 towns in the Region. The names and location of the Radio stations are depicted in table 14 below
Table 14: Names and locations of radio station in Bono East Region, 2019
| Location | District | Radio Station |
| Techiman | Techiman Municipal | Asta, Classic, Adepa, Agyenkwa, Winners, Free, Akinna,KFM,Gaskyia |
| Nkoranza | Nkoranza Municipal | Akyaa and Dero |
| Kintampo | Kintampo Municipal | Adass, Kintampo Nkomode |
| Atebubu | Atebubu-Amantin Municipal | Star and Atoobu |
| Yeji | Pru East | Orkema, Gyimah FM |
| Kwame Danso | Sene West | Sene FM |
- ENERGY
A reliable supply of energy has the potential to support the growing agro-industrial and service sectors as well as cater for the increasing domestic consumption. The main sources of energy for domestic, commercial nd industrial purposes are fuel wood, charcoal, fuel oils, LP gas and electricity.
Over 70% of the population in the Bono East region depend on fuel wood, charcoal and kerosene for domestic purposes. However, the use of eleectricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is increasing steadily following the opening up of more gas stations.
Firewood provides the bulk of the energy requirements of most informal enterprises like baking, meat and fish smoking, palm nut and groundnut oil production, soap making, pito brewing and bricks production. However, the dependence of the forest (wood) for energy needs poses a serious threat to the environment, human health and quality of life (EPA 2014).
The electricity coverage in the Region is gradually showing improvement with most of the communities having access to electricity supply from the national grid.
7.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION
7.1 Forstry and Wildlife
The Bono East Region can boast of 2 forest reserves at the Kintampo Municipal and Kintampo South District Assemblies which cover a total area of about 452.75sqkm. About seven (7) communities are dotted around the forest reserve and most of the inhabitants depend on the forest for their livelihood.
Table 15: Area and Fringe communities of forest reserves in Bono East Region
| District | Forest reserve | Area sq km | Fringe communities |
| Kintampo Municipal | Buru | 302.25 | Alhasanakura, Soronuase and Atakora |
| Kintampo South | Bosomoa | 150.50 | Krabonso, Ayima, Amponma Paninbisa |
The Wildlife Reserves in the Region are Digya and Buabeng –fiema monkey sanctuary which cover a total area of 3,483km.
The area, fringe communities (22) and common animal species of the wildlife reserves in the Bono East Region are depicted in table 16 below.
Table 16: Area, Fringe communities and common species of the wildlife protected areas in the Bono East Region
| Protected Areas | Area sq km | Fringe Communities | Common Animal Species |
| Buabeng-fiema (Nkoranza North) District Assembly | 4.5 | Akrudwa, Busunya, Bonte, Senya, Fiema, Buaben, Tanker, Kwaase, Bomini and Kokrompe | Black and white columbs monkey and Mona monkey |
| Digya (Sene East) District Assembly | 3478.50 | Hiamankyere, Akyeremade, Aboaso, Dome, Bonkese, Awonabotan, TatoDadetokro, Hwanyaso, Nsugyaso, Saabaso, Apesika and Ntonaboma | Elephant, Black and White Columbus monkey, Buffalo, Kob, manatee and waterback |
The Buabeng-fiema monkey sanctuary is a community reserved managed by the Nkoranza North District Assembly and Nkoranza Traditional Council. The Digya National Park is the second largest wildlife protected area in Ghana, after the Mole National Park in the Savanna Region.
7.2 Water Resources
The Tano river, an important water source in the country serves the Techiman North District and Techiman Municipal Assemblies. About six (6) communities fall withn the Tano Basin and most of these Urban and rural communities depend on the river for water supply. The Tano River is also used extensively for agricultural purpose particularly for vegetable and cocoa farming.
Table 17: Districts and communities within the Tano River Basin in Bono East Region
| District | Communities |
| Techiman North | Tuobodom |
| Techiman Municipal | Techiman, Tanoso,Nkwaeso, Nsuta and Manguase |
The main challenges facing the Tano Basin include population increase and intensive urbanization, inadequate water supply, rapid land degradation, pollution and water quality deterioration (WRC, 2014).
8.0 MAJOR SETTLEMENTS IN BONO EAST REGION
Table 18 below shows the major settlements in Bono East Region and their population
Table 18: Major settlements in the Bono East Region 2010
| No. | Settlement | District | Population |
| 1 | Techiman | Techiman Municipal | 66,609 |
| 2. | Kintampo | Kintampo Municipal | 42,917 |
| 3. | Atebubu | Atebubu Amantin | 38,457 |
| 4. | Nkoranza | Nkoranza Municipal | 28,784 |
| 5. | Yeji | Pru East | 26,148 |
| 6. | Tuobodom | Techiman North | 12,023 |
| 7. | Amantin | Atebubu -Amantin | 11,040 |
| 8. | Kwmae Danso | Sene West | 10,263 |
| 9. | Aworowa | Techiman North | 10,120 |
| 10. | Tanoso | Techiman Municipal | 8,622 |
| 11. | Offuman | Techiman North | 8,380 |
| 12. | Jema | Kintampo South | 7,236 |
| 13. | Busunya | Nkoranza North | 5,401 |
| 14 | Kajaji | Sene East | 2,415 |