Techiman is regional capital for new Bono East region

President Akufo-Addo has settled on Techiman as the capital for newly created Bono East region.

The President on Wednesday morning issued the Constitutional Instrument to give legal backing to the creation of the region.

At a ceremony at the Jubilee House, on Wednesday, President Akufo-Addo noted that Bono East, an enclave which is ethnically diverse, representing about two-thirds of the entire land mass of the then Brong Ahafo Region.

With agriculture as the predominant economic activity and significant deposits of natural resources, the president bemoaned how the Bono East region is not as developed as it should be.

That is why, according to the President, after receiving a petition from 14 chiefs from traditional areas within the municipalities and districts of the proposed Bono East Region for the creation of the region, he referred it to the Council of State for its advice.

President Akufo-Addo assured that “this government, which facilitated the creation of this region, in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution, will help ensure the smooth take-off and development of Bono East.”

The capital of the Techiman Municipal Assembly is among the top 10 Assemblies in the country with high levels of Internally Generated Funds.

According to governance experts, Techniman already has the needed infrastructure to speed up development in the Bono East enclave.

Following the announcement, the youths of Nkoranza have said they are disappointed with the choice of Techiman for the Bono East regional capital.

According to them, Nkoranza is central and accessible to the other districts than Techiman, which is on the outskirt of the new region.

Kofi Ohene-Sakyi, Liaison Officer, Bono East creation and a Youth leader at Nkoranza says, though they are not happy, they will cooperate with authorities for the ultimate development of the region.

About Techiman

Techiman is a leading market town and one of two major cities and settlements of the region. It has a settlement population of 104,212 people as of 2013.

Techiman is located on a historical crossroads of trade routes and the Tano River and serves as the capital of the Techiman Municipal District.

The Akans, according to their oral tradition, migrated from Techiman to find the coastal Mankessim Kingdom and present Central region in 1252.

After Bono Manso, capital of the Bono state was taken by the Ashanti Empire in 1723, then the Bono-Techiman state was founded in 1740 under Ashanti sovereignty.

The town started the construction of a modern cultural centre. The purpose of the centre is the preservation of the traditions of the Bono nation. Techiman celebrates the annual Apoo in April/May – a kind of Mardi Gras.

In August, an annual yam ceremony takes place and it marks the end of the yam production in the former Brong-Ahafo Region towns of Techiman and Wenchi.

Techiman is connected by road to Sunyani and its domestic airport, the Sunyani Airport. Techiman is not yet serviced by a railway station on the Ghana Railway Corporation, and it has been proposed that a line be extended to Techiman. The Tano River is a navigable river.

A study of traffic in Techiman in March 2007 found a breakdown of 34% for taxis, 31% for pedestrians, 10% for buses and vans, 7% for bicycles, 6% for motorbikes, 5% for cars and 7% for “other” modes of transportation. Of bicyclists, a focus of the study, 49% travelled for work, 18% for school, 14% for recreation and 6% for touring.

credit: myjoyonline.com