Profile

 THE EASTERN REGION

The Eastern Region, created on 1st November 1953, is one of Ghana’s Sixteen (16) administrative Regions. The Region shares common boundaries to the South with Greater Accra, to the North with Ashanti and Bono East Regions, at the East with Central Region, and at the South East with Oti, and Volta Regions. The Eastern Region lies between latitudes 6o and 7o North and between longitudes 1o30’ West and 0o30’ East. The Region has a land area of 19,323 square kilometres (which constitutes 8.1 % of the total land area of Ghana). Koforidua is the administrative capital.

Demography

Currently, the population of the Region stands at 2,633,154 (reference 2010 Housing and Population Census). At a growth rate of 2.1% the population of the Region as at 2020 will be 3, 318,853. The Region’s very youthful population is made up of 1,685,861 females and 1,632,992 males. About 41.2% of the population is below 15 years with about 5.3%above 64 years leaving 53.5% in the economically active age group.

Occupationally, 67.3% of the employed population is engaged in Agriculture, 10.7% in the industry and the service sector employs 22% of the workers. With reference to Urban/ Rural split, as much as 27.8% of the Region’s population lives in the urban settlements and 72.2% in rural communities.

There are three major ethnic groups in the Region. They are the Akans, the Krobos and the Guans.

Relief and Drainage
The Region has four main mountains. These are the Kwahu scarp with a height of 2,586 feet above sea level; the Atiwa-Atwaredu Ranges near Kibi with an elevation of 2,400 feet; the Akuapem highland with a height of 1,530 feet is the southern extension of the Atakora-Togo ranges; and isolated hills/mountains dotting the relatively low-lying plains to the south, notably the Krobo and the Yogaga mountains.
The Kwahu Scarp and the Atiwa-Atwaredu form the main watershed of the Region where the Pra, Birim and the Densu take their sources. The Volta Lake and its Afram tributary in the east and the north-east drains portions of the Region.

Occupation
Agriculture is the main economic activity in the Region and employs about 53% of the population, 10.7% of the population is in industry and about 22% in the services sub-sector.
Traditional Authorities
The Eastern Region is very heterogeneous with eleven (11) different paramountcies. These are Anum, Boso, Manya Krobo, Yilo Krobo, Akuapem, Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, Akyem Bosome, Kwahu, Akwamu and New Juaben.
Roads
The Region has a total paved road network of 14,179.40km and an unpaved stretch of 358.6km.
Regional Potential

Water and Tourism
The Akosombo and Kpong dams located in the Region present high potential for irrigation, farming, inland fishing, water transport, sports and tourism as well as sources of water for industrial and domestic use. The Ranges in the Region are the habitat of many rare and exotic flora and fauna and are a veritable tourism potential. Koforidua, the regional capital is gradually becoming both a conference destination, educational hub and dormitory town for workers in Accra. The spin-off is the potential for real estate to meet demand for housing units for hostel and residential use.

Agriculture
The extensive ranges of forest highlands such as the Atiwa-Atwaredu, Akwapim and the Krobo and Shai Hills have plains and heights that offer various potentials for agricultural production and industry. The Kwahu Mountain for example has offered the opportunity to institute the annual Easter Paragliding Festival which attracts tourists to the Region. While plains around the Yogaga and Osudoku hills are renowned for vegetables, banana and mango cultivation, the Akwapim range is a prominent horticultural crop growing zone in Ghana.The climate and soils of the region support a variety of cash and food crops including cocoa, kola, cassava, paddy rice and oil palm.

Mineral Deposits
Minerals such as gold, diamond, bauxite, limestone, kaolin and clay abound in the region. Gold and diamond are however the only minerals that are mined commercially. A plan to mine the major bauxite deposits at Kibi on the Atiwa Range is yet to be realized.

The political leadership of the Regional Coordinating Council and Municipal/District Assemblies
The Regional Coordinating Council is headed by the Regional Minister, Hon Seth Acheampong.

The Region has Thirty-Three (33) Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) made up of Thirteen  Municipal and Twenty District  Assemblies. The MMDAs with their capitals, Municipal/District Chief Executives and the number of Assembly members are shown below.

NO

MUNICIPAL/DISTRICT ASSEMBLY

 

NAME OF MMDCE

MUNICIPAL/DISTRICT CAPITAL

  
 

1

New Juaben South Municipal

Hon. Ransford Owusu Boakye

Koforidua

  

2

Birim Central Municipal

Hon. Solomon Kusi Brako

Oda

  

3

Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal

Philibert Amenorpe Serlom Fumey

Nsawam

  

4

Kwahu West Municipal

Taminu Halidu

Nkawkaw

  

5

Abuakwa South Municipal

Hon. Nana Adu Sarpong Addo Aikins

Kyebi

  

6

Lower West Akim Municipal

Hon. Paulina Akabila

Asamankese

  

7

Yilo Krobo Municipal

Hon. Francis Addo Akumatey

Somanya

  

8

Lower Manya Krobo Municipal

Hon. John Martey

Odumase

  

9

Akuapem North Municipal

 John Evans Kumordzi

Akropong

  

10

Suhum Municipal

Hon. Lydia Ohenewa Sarah

Suhum

  

11

Kwaebibrem Municipal

Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Nti

Kade

  

12

Kwahu South District

Hon. Effah Osei Bonsu David

Mpraeso

  

13

Kwahu East District

Hon. Samuel Asamoah

Abetifi

  

14

Fanteakwa North District

Hon.  Osumanu Abubakar

Begoro

  

15

Asuogyaman District

Ho. Godwin Bobobee

Atimpoku

  

16

Atiwa West District

 Hon. Amo John Anom

Kwabeng

  

17

Upper Manya Krobo District

 Hon. Emmanuel Lewis Lawer

Asesewa

  

18

Akuapem South District

Hon. Paul Osae Offei

Aburi

  

19

Denkyembour District

Hon. Umar Ahmed

Akwatia

  

20

Upper West Akim District

Hon. Rebecca Chissah

Adeiso

  

21

Birim North District

Hon. Hakeem Antwi Abdul

New Abirem

  

22

Birim South District

Hon. Taaju Rahim

Akim Swedru

  

23

Akyemansa District.

Hon. Linda Ahenkora

Ofoase

  

24

Kwahu Afram Plains North Dist.

 Hon. Kate Mawusi Babanawo

Donkorkrom

  

25

Kwahu Afram Plains South Dist.

 Hon. Moses Tangmee

Tease

  

26

Ayensuano District

 Hon. John Lartey

Coalter

  

27

New Juaben North Municipal

 Hon. Samuel Adongo

Effiduase

  

28

Abuakwa North Municipal

Hon. Charles Darko Yeboah

Kukurantumi

  

29

Okere District

Hon. Eric William Ayettey

Adukrom

  

30

Atiwa East District

Hon. Ernest Owusi Ntim

Anyinam

  

31

Fanteakwa South District

 Hon. Mercy Korang

Osino

  

32

Asene-Manso-Akroso Dist.

Hon. Eric Ahinakwa

Manso

  

33

Achiase District

Hon. Samueal Owusu Brako

Achiase

  

MANDATE OF THE EASTERN REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL (ERCC) FOR THE REGION

Like all other Regional Coordinating Councils, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council was established in accordance with Article 255 of the Constitution, Local Governance Act, 2016 (as amended), Act 936, the Civil Service Law 1993, PNDCL 327 and the National Development Planning Act,1994 Act 480:

  • To monitor, co-ordinate and harmonize the implementation of district development plans and activities within the region.
  • To facilitate the delivery of Public Services within the region and enhance their impact on beneficiaries
  • To facilitate the provision of basic social and economic infrastructure and services in the region.
  • To co-ordinate private sector/donor/NGO participation in development

VISION

The Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council envisages a peaceful, progressive and developed Region with a high standard of living for its people and a conducive atmosphere where the dreams and aspirations of its inhabitants can be attained and maximized.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Regional Co-ordinating Council (ERCC) exists as an arm of the Executive to provide quality administrative and technical services through co-ordinating, harmonizing, monitoring and evaluating the plans and programmes of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) District Assemblies, (DAs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in order to achieve growth, accelerated poverty reduction and good governance for the overall development of the Region.

CORE VALUES

The core values of the ERCC align with those of the Local Government Service and guide how service should be rendered. They are the winning culture that defines the attitudes and behaviours required of staff to realize our vision. The shared values are:

  1. Professionalism
  2. Accountability
  3. Client focus
  4. Transparency
  5. Efficient and Efficient use of Resource
  6. Participation

FUNCTIONS

To achieve and meet the aspirations of the people of the Region, ERCC performs the following statutory functions which are derived from the Local Governance Act 936 of 2016

  • Monitor, co-ordinate and evaluate the performance of the Municipal/District Assemblies in the Region.
  • To monitor the use of all sums of money allocated to the District Assemblies by any Agency of the Central Government.
  • To review and co-ordinate public service in the activities assigned to it.
  • The approval of the by-laws of the District Assemblies in the region is subject to their consistency with national legislation.
  • To perform development planning functions as mandated by the national development planning commission
  • To provide the district assemblies with such information and data as is necessary to assist them in the formulation of district development plans.
  • To co-ordinate the plans and programmes of District Planning Authorities within the region and harmonise the programmens within the National Development Policies and priorities for consideration and approval by The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC)
  • To monitor and evaluate the implementation of the programmes and projects of the District Planning Authorities within the region.
  • To act on behalf of the national planning commission with respect to such national programmes and projects in the region as the commission may direct.
  • To effectively and efficiently perform these functions, the ERCC requires a variety of skills and professionals as indicated in its organizational structure.
  • The provision of back-stopping support for the performance of any function assigned to the District Assemblies in the region in respect of which a particular District Assembly is deficient in terms of skills and workforce.
  • The resolution of any conflicts between a district assembly in the region and any agency of the central government, public corporation, statutory body ,non-government organization or individual
  • The oversight responsibility for the second-cycle educational institutions and regional hospitals in the region on behalf of the ministries of education and health
  • The performance of any other functions assigned to it by or enactment.

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING FUNCTIONS

Aside from its administrative functions the RCC also performs the following development planning functions as contained in the NDPC (System) Act, 1994, Act 480.:

  • Acts on behalf of the National Development Planning Commission with respect to such National Projects and Programmes in the region as the Commission may direct.
  • Co-ordinates and monitors programmes of all departments under the Regional
  • Co-ordinating Council and keep it informed of all developments.
  • Prepares Annual Performance Reports on the work of the Regional Co-ordinating Council within three months after the end of the financial year and submits same to the Office of the President, Office of the Head of Civil Service and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
  • Performs functions not captured in the legislation such as Protocol involving the hosting of dignitaries and the celebration of National Events.
  • Manages conflicts, including chieftaincy, tribal, land and religious disputes in the region.
  • Provides MMDAs with information and data as and when necessary to assist them in the preparation of their Development Plans.
  • Co-ordinates the plans and programmes of the MMDAs and harmonizes them with National Development policies and priorities.

 REGION’S STRATEGIC/ANNUAL PLAN

As a monitoring and coordinating body, the Regional Coordinating Council’s Strategic/Annual Plan is driven by the Medium Term Development Plans prepared by the Municipal/District Assemblies. It, therefore, draws its Annual Monitoring and Coordinating   Plan to guide it in its mandate to help the Assemblies deliver on their plans.

ADMINISTRATION, STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION

The Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council (ERCC) is a statutory organization established by the Local Governance Acts 936 of 2016.  It is the highest policy-making body of the Region, representing the entire Political and Administrative machinery of the Central Government at the Regional level.

 Membership of the Regional Co-ordinating Council

  • Regional Minister –                                                              Chairman
  • Deputy Regional Minster –                                                  Member
  • All Municipal District Chief Executives –                              Member
  • All Presiding Members –                                                      Member
  • Two Representatives of the Reg. House of Chiefs –             Member
  • Regional Co-ordinating Director –                                       Member
  • All Heads of Decentralized Departments- Ex-Officio –        Member

The Council is supported administratively and technically by the Central Administration Units which are:

  • General Administration
  • Transport
  • Stores
  • Records
  • Secretarial
  • Accounts
  • Human Resource
  • Works
  • Protocol
  • Public Relations
  • Special Care Registry
  • Security
  • Radio Operations Room
  • Regional Security Liaison Office
  • Regional Planning and Co-ordinating Unit
  • Regional Budget Office
  • Management Information Systems (MIS)/ICT Unit
  • Local Government Inspectorate
  • Internal Audit Unit

DEPARTMENTS

  1. SOCIAL WELFARE

The Department of Social Welfare is decentralized and operates under the Regional Coordinating Council of the Local Government Service. It is mandated to carry out programs and projects to address the needs and concerns of the vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized.

The Department in the region is headed by a director and assisted by three program

Heads who co-ordinate the activities under the three-core programs namely, Justice Administration (J/A), Child and Family Welfare (CFW), and Community Care (CC)

This four-member team supported by the Personnel and Accounts sections constitute the Regional Directorate that monitors and supervises the activities of the field staff in the districts and hospitals, and gives them technical backstopping as and when needed.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is a Government statutory Agency under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP). The Department was first established in 1946 by Local Ordinance Order No. 66 as Department of Social Welfare and Housing and later as the Department of Social Welfare in 1950.

Against the back drop of decentralization and the operationalization of the Local Government Act (1993) (Act 462), Local Government Service Act 2003  and the LI 1961, all implementing functions and activities that are delivered to individuals and communities directly by the Department were ceded to the Local Government Service and to the districts in 2011.

 

2. DEPARTMENT OF URBAN ROADS

The Department of Urban Roads was established in 1988 under the Ministry of Roads and Highways and has the mandate to set up Road Units in the Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies and supported them to construct, maintain and manage traffic on the urban network before the passage of L.I 1961.

With the setting up of the Local Government Service by the Local Governance Act of 2016, Act 936, with Amendment Act 940, which completely decentralizes roads and transport functions to the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Regional Offices were set up in 2014 to manage assigned major/minor and some collector/distributor road networks in urban areas in the regions. The offices also provide technical backstopping to the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Roads Departments (MMDRDs) to ensure capacity is developed within. The Regional Offices coordinate and monitor the activities of the MMDRDs to ensure the delivery of quality transport systems in the cities on behalf of the Ministry of Roads and Highways through the DUR Head Office and the Road Fund Board (RFB).

Organogram of the Department of Urban Roads

Mission Statement

To provide a cost-effective and sustainable integrated urban road transport system to ensure accessibility, safety and reliability for national development.

 Vision Statement

To attain an efficient cost-effective and sustainable integrated urban road transport system responsive to societal needs.

 Objectives

The specific objectives of the Department of Urban Roads are as follows:

  1. To reduce the average travel time on the arterial roads in each region;
  2. To progressively reduce the walking and waiting time for public transport in low income communities in each region
  3. To strengthen the capacity of the Regional Departments to manage arterial and sensitive collectors and also coordinate the operations of road transport systems in each region;
  4. To develop and apply social, economic and environmental criteria for the selection of projects;
  5. To progressively improve the environmental conditions along roads in each region;
  6. To collaborate with other institutions to reduce the number of accidents with fatalities and serious injuries in the urban areas;
  7. To progressively improve the proportion of the road network in good condition

Functions

The functions of the Regional Department of Urban Roads (RDUR) are as follows;

  1. Overall management of the arterial/collector road network within the region.
  2. The co-ordination of activities of the urban road departments within the region and report on same to the Regional Co-ordinating Council.
  3. Providing technical backstopping for road development for the urban road departments of the MMDAs.
  4. Ensuring consistency in standards and specifications of the urban road network as indicated in the Ministry of Roads and Highways guidelines.
  5. Periodic monitoring and evaluation of the regional urban road network to ensure quality of work and make recommendations for further development.

 

 

3. LAND USE AND SPATIAL PLANNING AUTHORITY

The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) was established by the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), to provide for the sustainable development of land and human settlements through a decentralized planning system, ensure judicious use of land and enhance the attainment of Ghana’s decentralization programme and in particular create an enabling environment for District Assemblies to better perform the spatial planning and human settlement function. It replaced the erstwhile Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) which had existed since 1945.

The territory of Ghana as defined under the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana including the land mass, air space, sub-terrain territory, marine space and reclaimed lands shall be a planning area and subject to the planning system provided under this Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 925 of 2016 and other relevant laws (Section 45).

Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority initiate at the Head Office in Accra and terminates at the  regional offices. However, at the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies (MMDAs) level, the Physical Planning Department which carries out the spatial planning functions is part of the eleven decentralised Government Departments in the Local Government Service.

  Vision of the Authority

To become a unique, technically capable, and proactive entity, able to contribute effectively to rational land use and spatial planning within sustainable human settlements in Ghana.

Mission Statement of the Authority

To facilitate the planning, management, and promotion of harmonious, sustainable, and cost-effective development of land and human settlements in Ghana in accordance with sound environmental and planning principles.

4. NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY

The National Youth Authority (NYA) was established in 1974 by NRDC 241. It is thus, a Statutory Public Organization with the mandate to co-ordinate and facilitates youth empowerment activities in Ghana to ensure development of the Ghanaian the youth as a whole.

The Authority was formerly known as “the National Youth Council (NYC).” In 1981, by an administrative directive, the Council was transformed into a “Commission” status as “the National Youth Organizing Commission” with the focus to organize a mass national youth movement called the “Democratic Youth League of Ghana (DYLG).”

With the inception of constitutional rule in 1992, the Commission status reverted to the “Council” once more. In consequence of a statute law revision exercise under the laws of Ghana (Revised Edition) Act, 1998 (Act 562), the nomenclature of the Authority was changed to the current, “National Youth Authority”.

In 2016, the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana passed the National Youth Authority Act, 2016 (Act 939) which received Presidential accent on 30th December, 2016.

Vision

To be a Statutory Institution of Reference in Youth Development Service.

Mission

The National Youth Authority exists to provide an environment for youth participation in the cultural-socio-economic and political development using appropriate technology and highly-motivated professionals. 

Objectives

The objects of the Authority are – Ref: NYA Act, 2016 (Act 939) (2) to:

  1. Develop the creative potential of the youth;
  2. Develop a dynamic and disciplined youth imbued with a spirit of nationalism, patriotism and a sense of propriety and civic responsibility; and
  3. Ensure the effective participation of the youth in the development of the country.

Functions

The core functions of the National Youth Authority are – Ref: NYA Act, 2016 (Act 939) (3) to:

Formulate policies and implement programmes that will promote in the youth

  1. A sense of creativity, self-reliance, leadership, loyalty to the country, discipline and civic responsibility; and
  2. A sense of friendship and cooperation through exchange of ideas with recognized youth organizations in other countries in Africa and the world;
  3. 3. Develop the capacity of the youth to participate in decision-making at all levels;
  4. Establish and supervise youth leadership and skills training institutes; and

In collaboration with the Ghana Youth Federation, organize annual youth conferences at the national, regional and district levels

 

 

5. GES

The Ghana Education Service (GES) was established, as part of the Public Service of Ghana, in 1974 by NRCD 247 and was subsequently amended by NRCD 252, 357 and SMCD 63. Under the forth Republican Constitution of Ghana, these earlier legislations have been amended by Acts of Parliament, including Act 506 (1994) and Act 778 (2008). The GES is governed by a fifteen-member Council called the GES Council.

GES is responsible for the implementation of approved national pre-tertiary educational policies and programs to ensure that all Ghanaian children of school-going age irrespective of tribe, gender, disability, religious and political affiliations are provided with inclusive and equitable quality formal education.

Vision

Ghana Education Service seeks to create an enabling environment in all educational institutions and management positions that will facilitate effective teaching and learning and efficiency in the management for the attainment of the goals of the Service.

Mission

To ensure that all Ghanaian children of school-going age are provided with inclusive and equitable quality formal education and training through effective and efficient management of resources to make education delivery relevant to the manpower needs of the nation.

The objectives of GES are in accordance with the National Policy Objectives espoused in the Education Strategic Plan (ESP). The key objectives of the Service are as follows:

  • Increase inclusive and equitable access to and participation in education at all levels
  • Ensure provision of life skills training and management of personal hygiene, family life, gender, health, HIV/AIDS/STIs, etc.
  • Improve the quality of teaching and learning
  • Improve the Management of education service delivery

The functions of GES are as follows:

  • To provide and oversee Basic Education (Pre-tertiary), Technical Education as well as Special Education
  • To promote the efficiency and full development of talents among its members
  • To carry out such other functions as are incidental to the attainment of the functions specified above.
  • To maintain professional standards and the conduct of its personnel
  • To recruit and post qualified teaching and non-teaching staff

 

6. Department of Parks and Gardens

Mandate: The mandate of the Department of Parks and Gardens is Develop and Promote effective Landscape Beautification in our Cities, Towns and in the individual Homes. To maintain and sustain all Landscape Areas on our Roads Medians, Road Shoulders and all Roundabouts in the Cities and Towns.

Mission: The Department of Parks and Gardens exist to Plan, Manage and Promote harmonious, sustainable and effective Environmental Horticultural enhancement and maintenance in the Districts in accordance with sound environmental principles.

Vision: The vision of the Department is to become a unique, technically competent and proactive Department, able to contribute effectively to national development and achieving higher professional standards in environmental horticulture and outreach at the local level.

Aims And Objectives Of The Department

The aim and objective of the Department is to ensure a safe and beautiful environment in our Cities and Towns in the country.