Achillea

by | Mar 12, 2018 | Achillea

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Akwidaa is a small town and fishing village in Ahanta West district, Western Region of Ghana. It is one of the southernmost places in Ghana.[1][2]

The part of town near the Gulf of Guinea, known as Akiwidaa Old Town, suffers from flooding and erosion as a result of climate change. This is due to its location in a low-lying area adjacent to a wetland and river mouth. This resulted in most of the residents evacuating inland, which would become Akiwidaa New Town.[3]

Etymology

Akwidaa is a Twi word meaning 'old man'. It is believe to be named after a man who transported people over the Ezile River during Dutch colonial times. The town was originally named after the river.[2]

History

The town have been settled for centuries by the Ahanta people.[2]

Fort Dorothea

Plan of Fort Dorothea (1786)

In the late 17th and early 18th Century, Akwidaa, then known as Fort Dorothea, was the smaller of the two forts which constituted a German colony, the Brandenburger Gold Coast. After being captured by the Dutch, they occupied the fort from 1687 to 1698 from whom the Brandenburgers sold it in 1718.[4][5][6] The ruins of the fort were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 along with other forts in the region.[7]

Economy

View of Ezile Bay Beach in Akwidaa

The economy is primarily based upon fishing, with many fishing boats lining the shoreline. Agriculture is also a major sector in the town.[3] It is a tourist spot in the region, being the location of many popular beaches.[1]

With the discovery of oil in the district, Akwidaa have been a point of interest for investment.[3]

See Also

References

  1. ^ a b Nzema East Municipal district
  2. ^ a b c "Akwidaa - Ghana West Coast". Ghana West Coast Destination Management Organization. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Cripps, C; Effah, E; Inkoom, J; Ntiri, E; Rubinoff, P; Stevens, H (2010). "A Climate Change and Natural Hazards Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan for Akwidaa and Ezile Bay, Ahanta West District" (PDF). USAID. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ Van Dantzig, Albert (1980). Forts and Castles of Ghana (Reprinted 1999 ed.). Accra, Ghana: Sedco Publishing Limited. pp. 37–39. ISBN 9964 72 010 6.
  5. ^ "Fort Dorothea, Akwidaa (1685)". Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  6. ^ Bathurst, C (1781). An Universal History: From the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time. Vol. 13.
  7. ^ "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
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