Hon. Joseph Amenowode Regional Minister	Hon. Col. Cyril Necku Rtd. Deputy Reg. Minister

The age structure of the population indicates that all the districts of the region have a young population, typical of most developing countries. The regional distribution of the population, aged 0-14 years, is 41.1 per cent compared to 44.2 per cent in 1984. Nkwanta (47.3%) and Krachi (46.4%) have the highest proportion of the population, aged 0-14 years. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for the region (3.5) is lower than the national rate of 4.0. Nkwanta District recorded the highest TFR (4.4), while Keta recorded the lowest (2.6).

As is the case with a young population, the dependency ratio is relatively high for all the districts. The regional overall dependency ratio is 92 dependants to 100 working people. The sex ratio is lower than 90.0 in five districts; it is between 90.0 and 100.0 in four other districts. In the Jasikan, Kadjebi and Krachi, Districts, the sex ratios are higher than 100.0.

The proportion of the population living in urban localities (population of 5,000 or more) in the region has increased from 20.5 per cent in 1984 to 27.0 per cent in 2000, with the highest proportion of the population living in urban areas the in Keta (53.0%). There are 34 urban localities in the region. Keta town (Keta) has been identified as a town which has declined at the rate of 1.9 per cent per annum over the past 30 years.

The decline in the population of Keta is due mainly to the sea erosion which caused population movements out of the town and also affected commercial and other activities. Kadjebi, Anyako and Kpedze are other urban localities which had virtually no growth during that period. Of all the urban localities, Juapong, Keta, Krachi, Banda and Worawora are the only localities where males outnumber females.

For the region as a whole, the usual resident population of 1,668,568 is 2.0 per cent higher than the de facto count of 1,635,421. Except for the Ho, Hohoe and the Nkwanta, Districts, the number of people who usually reside in the districts, is more than those present on Census Night.

• HOHOE: Assembly presents food items to Zongo communities
  

  The Hohoe Municipal Assembly and its Member of Parliament, have presented assorted items to the Zongo community to be distributed to 12 Mosques in the Municipality.

• (KAIRA) SOUTH DAYI: Kaira reminds Minister of his promise
  

  The people of Kaira in the South-Dayi District have appealed to the Roads and Highways Minister, Mr Joe Gidisu, to facilitate the
  transformation of the bad nature of the road from Todome to
  Toh-Kpalime into a tarred road.

• (SIBI) NKWANTA NORTH : Stop forcing girls into early marriage-officer
  

  Mrs Stella Korkor Adjumah, Nkwanta North District Girl Child Education Officer of the Ghana Education Service (GES), has appealed to parents in Konkomba to reform the culture of forcing young girls into early marriage.

• HOHOE : Assembly generates GH˘840 from court cases
  

  The Hohoe Municipal Environmental Office has generated GH¢840 through insanitary environmental related-issues between January and August this year.

• AKATSI: Afriyie Ankrah responds to gov’t critics
  

  The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has discredited claims of underperformance on the part of the government by a section of the public describing such assertions and contentions as mere propaganda.

• KRACHI EAST: 2 pastors drown in exercise of faith
  

  Two senior pastors of the Church of Pentecost drowned in the Kparekpare stream in the Krachi East District of the Volta Region on Saturday afternoon when they put their faith to test.

• (KPETOE) ADAKLU-ANYIGBE : “Free” Kente for tourists at Agbamevorza
  

  Tourists at this year’s Kente Festival (Agbamevorza) of the chiefs and people of Agotime Traditional Area would be given various kinds of quality kente at very moderate prices that could be said to be “free”.

• (WHUTI) AKATSI : Rotary Club to provide KVIP
  

  The Rotary Club of Accra South is to build a 10-seater Kumasi Ventilated Improved Pit Latrine (KVIP) worth 8,000 dollars for the chiefs and people of Whuti Traditional Area in the Volta Region.

• KETU NORTH : DCE interacts with traditional councils
  

  The Ketu North District Chief Executive, Mr. Kofi Lawson is touring all  four traditional areas in the district.

• (DAMANKO) NKWANTA NORTH: Non-compliance with specifications delays project
  

  China Geo-Engineering Corporation that is working on a component of the Damanko-Kpassa Water Supply Scheme has been cited for failure to comply with designs and engineering specifications and this is delaying the project.