Wa, Ghana

Wa is a town and the capital of the Wa Metropolitan Assembly and the Upper West Region of Ghana. It has a population of 200,672 people according to the 2021 census.

The town is a transportation hub for the Upper West region, with major roads leading north to Hamile, and northeast to Tumu and the Upper East Region. There is also an airport, named the Wa Airport.

History

Etymology

Wa is a Dagbani word meaning te wa kaa yeng seore ('we came to watch a dance').

Formation

Wa emerged as an important center of trade.

Under the Northern Protectorates, the town experienced slow infrastructure development due to neglection by the colonial administration.

Administration

Wa has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor is appointed/approved by the town council, the Wa Municipal Assembly. The current mayor of Wa is Hon. Tahiru Issahaku Moomin.

Economy

Despite its urban status, Wa is in many ways still an agricultural community with the majority of the town's population engaged in small scale farming. Main crops grown include corn, millet, yams, okra and groundnuts. The town also grows cash crops, which include soya beans, and groundnuts, bambara beans.

In 1880, it was estimated that Wa had about 8,000 people. This number is thought to have fallen to 2,000 by 1900. In the 1921 census, the population of the town was 2,806. The population had risen to 5,207 by 1931. In that same year, the Wa district, which was now a part of the Wala Native Authority had a population of 13,025. In 1948, Wa had a population of 14,406 while the district had 15,827 people. In 1960 the population was 14,406. In 1970 the population had risen to 13,740.

Culture

thumb|220px|Front view of [[Wa Naa's Palace]]

The Wa Naa's Palace, located in Wa, is home to chief (Wa Naa) of the Wala people. Cattle is a symbol of wealth in the town and is sometimes used for marriage payment.

Festivals

The Damba festival is an annual event celebrated in the town and throughout Northern Ghana. It is typically held in late September. The Dumba festival is another annual event celebrated in the town. It is usually celebrated in the month of September or October.

Cuisine

Human resources

Health

Wa has a total of 26 health facilities, including

community health planning services and four private facilities.

Education

The town is the educational hub of the region. University for Development Studies, Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education and Wa Polytechnic have branches or are located in Wa.

The following is a list of educational institutions in Wa:

; Senior high schools

Wa Islamic Senior High School
Jamiat Al-Hidayyat Al-Islamiat Girls Senior High School
Northern Star Senior High School
St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary
Wa Senior High School
Wa Senior High Technical School
Wa Technical Institute
T. I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School

; Colleges/Universities

SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies
Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education
Wa Nursing Training College
Wa Technical University (formally Wa Polytechnic)

Notable people

Wiyaala
Samini
Mohammed Kudus
Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo
Salma Mumin
Abdul Haye Mumin
Shamima Muslim