Bolgatanga (Frafra: Bɔlegataŋa), colloquially known as Bolga, the capital of the Bolgatanga Municipal and the Upper East Region of Ghana.[4][5] It shares a border to the north with Burkina Faso. The town lies in the Red Volta Valley, 161 km (100 mi) north of Tamale, with the White Volta and the cliffs of the southern Gambaga escarpment forming the southern boundary of the Upper East Region.[6] Some ethnic groups native to Bolgatanga are the Frafra, Daghati, Akan, Ewe, and Ga-Adangbe.[3] The current mayor of the town is Rex Asanga.[7]
Bolgatanga | |
|---|---|
 First-top picture: Avenue Landscape and Hotel; bottom-left picture:
One of many highways that goes through the town; bottom-right picture: Restaurant in Bolgatanga | |
  Bolgatanga Location of Bolgatanga in Upper East region | |
| Coordinates: 10°47′00″N 00°51′00″W / 10.78333°N 0.85000°W | |
| Country |  Ghana |
| Region | Upper East Region |
| District | Bolgatanga Municipal District |
| Elevation | 177 m (581 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 66,685 |
| • Ethnicities | |
| Time zone | GMT |
| • Summer (DST) | GMT |
| Postal code | UB |
| Area code | 039 |
| Climate | BSh |
| Website | bolma.gov.gh  |
History
editFormation
editThe name Bolgotanga is derived from the gurene words for migrant (Bolba) and pyramid, or gathering rock (Tanga) respectively. Historically, the town was located close to the Trans-Saharan trade route. Siddharth Kara writes that Bolgatanga served as a market where captives from the Sahel were sold to Hausa merchants as a part of the African slave trade.[8] Because many trade routes crossed the Gurensi region, by the end of the 19th century the area had grown into an important trade hub In 1910, Bolgatanga was connected with the rest of Ghana with the addition of a road.[9]
Administration
editThe town has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the town council, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly. The current mayor of Bolgatanga is Roland Atanga Ayoo Nyaaba.[10]
Demographics
editThe majority of the town is religious, making up 97.3% of the town's population, while the biggest religions in the town are Christianity (57.6%), traditional religions (22.3%), and Islam (17.1%).[3]: 32 Majors ethnic groups who lived in Bolgatanga are Northerners (mainly Frafra), Kassena, Kusasi, Akan, Ewe, and Ga-Adangbe.[3]: 3 As of 2021, the town has a population of about 142,509 people, with women (74,659) representing 52.4 % of the population with men (67,850) constituting the remaining 47.6 %.[11][2]
Transportation
edit
There is public transportation from Bolgatanga to major cities such as Accra, Kumasi, Mim, Ahafo, Cape Coast, Sunyani, Tamale, Tema, Ho, Wa, Elubo, Aflao, and Techiman. The most popular form of intracity transport is a covered rickshaw popularly referred to as 'candoos'.[12][13] For the transportation of goods, an uncovered tricycle popularly known as "motor king" is used. Though the use of Donkey Carts for carrying goods has been part of the life of the people of Bolgatanga it is scarce due to rapid development.[14]
In 2016, a $141 million project was underway to help increase the quality of transportation of the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom Road. Originally supposed to be completed sometime in 2018, due to some unresolved issues it was push back to late-2024.[15]
Culture
edit
Bolgatanga is known as the crafts centre of the Upper East Region, with a large central market. Apart from items found elsewhere in the Upper East Region, the so-called "Bolga hats" are made and sold in Bolgatanga. Bolgatanga and its surrounding suburbs also contain the largest producers of leather goods, straw baskets, and smocks. The artists sell their works at the Bolgatanga Market, which is open every third day. There is also a museum in the town, which houses objects of historical importance of the Upper East Region.[16]
Geography
editThe Municipal occupies a land size of 334 km² with a population density of 418.7 people per square kilometer. The district borders the Bongo District to the north, the Talensi and the Nabdam district towards the south and east and the Kassena-Nankana Municipal District to the west. The town's landscape is described by gentle slopes mixed with rock outcrops and uplands.[3]: 1, 3
Climate
editThe town has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh), experiencing a rainy season and a dry season per year. In Gurene, these seasons are regraded as "Oone" and "Sioo". The rainy season usually spanning from May to September, while the dry season is long and ranges from November to March. Rainfall amounts are often lackluster and ranges from 800 to 1,200 mm (2.6 to 3.9 ft).[17]
| Climate data for Bolgatanga (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 34.7 (94.5) |
37.4 (99.3) |
39.2 (102.6) |
38.6 (101.5) |
36.1 (97.0) |
32.9 (91.2) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.4 (86.7) |
31.2 (88.2) |
34.3 (93.7) |
36.7 (98.1) |
35.5 (95.9) |
34.8 (94.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.9 (67.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.9 (80.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
23.8 (74.8) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.8 (73.0) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.9 (67.8) |
23.0 (73.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.2 (0.01) |
2.5 (0.10) |
12.5 (0.49) |
43.0 (1.69) |
103.9 (4.09) |
141.0 (5.55) |
168.1 (6.62) |
256.7 (10.11) |
179.4 (7.06) |
54.9 (2.16) |
5.6 (0.22) |
3.5 (0.14) |
971.3 (38.24) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 66 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization[18] | |||||||||||||
Economy
editThe major economic sectors of Bolgatanga are agriculture, hunting, forestry, and industry. Regrading agriculture, about 80% of the population is engaged in the sector in which some of the crops cultivated are millet, maize, guinea-corn, rice, beans, groundnuts, and sweet potatoes during the rainy season and irrigation farming of onions, tomatoes, and peppers during the dry season.[3]: 4
Human resources
editHealthcare
editThe primary hospital is the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. In 2020, a rehabilitation project began, consisting of a four-story building consisting of 39 apartment rooms for the hospital's staff along with other facilities. Since then, the hospital has undergone multiple renovation.[19]
Aside the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, the municipality has several clinics and private hospital facilities that offer health care to residents.
Education
editBolgatanga has a mixture of both government and private educational institutions from basic school to tertiary school.
Bolgatanga Library
editThe Bolgatanga Library is a notable design of award-winning American architect J. Max Bond Jr., who was influenced by Le Corbusier. Bond lived in Ghana for four years in the 1960s. The Bolgatanga library was his first major project while working for the national construction company. The design features perforated walls and an "umbrella"-shaped roof, so the structure remains cool and well ventilated.[20]
The following is a list of schools in Bolgatanga:
- Bolgatanga Senior High School (Mixed)
- Bolgatanga Girls' Senior High School (Girls)
- Zamse Senior High/Technical School (Mixed)
- Bolgatanga Technical Institute-BOTECH (Mixed)
- Bolgatanga Central Technical Institute [Formerly women’s training Institute] (Mixed)
- Bolga Sherigu Community Senior High School (Mixed)
- Bolgatanga Nursing Training College (Mixed)
- Bolgatanga Midwifery College
- Bolgatanga Technical University
Notable People
editCommunities in Bolgatanga
editSee also
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References
edit- ↑ "Traffic Rescue". Traffic Rescue. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- 1 2 "World Gazetteer online". World-gazetteer.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 2010 population & housing census (Bolgatanga Municipality) (PDF) (Report). Ghana Statistical Service. 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ "Upper East Regional Police Command acquires 3 motorbikes to increase patrols". Daily Graphic. Accra, Ghana. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ↑ Adeaga, Favour (27 January 2021). "The Upper East Region districts and their capitals in Ghana". Yen- Ghana news. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ↑ "Ghana » Upper East Region » Bolgatanga Municipal". Bolgatanga Municipal. 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ↑ "Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly approves Rex Asanga as MCE". Ghana News Agency. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ Kara, Siddharth (2025). The Zorg: A Tale of Greed, Murder and the Abolition of Slavery. London: Transworld Publishers Ltd. p. 71. ISBN 9781529964325.
- ↑ Cristofaro, D. (2020). "From Caravans to Lorries: Shifting Patterns of Mobility and Colonial Roadmaking in Northern Ghana (1896-1936)". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 53 (3): 289–314. JSTOR 45381039. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ Smith, Mark Kwasi Ahumah (7 April 2025). "Bolga Central's longest-serving Secretary, appointed MCE - A1 Radio Bolgatanga". Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Bolgatanga_Municipal" (PDF).
- ↑ "Tricycle operators urged to comply with traffic regulations - A1 Radio Bolgatanga". 22 December 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ↑ "Bolga Cando drivers mull over increment in transport fares - A1 Radio Bolgatanga". Radio online. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ↑ "Feature: Authorities must focus on training tricycle operators - A1 Radio Bolgatanga". Radio online. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ↑ Polkuu, G. (14 June 2024). "Amendment issues on Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom road resolved – Minister". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ "Upper East Region Attractions - Ghana Tourism Homepage". Touringghana. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ↑ Anaafo, D. (12 December 2018). "Between science and local knowledge: improving the communication of climate change to rural agriculturists in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana". Local Environment. 24 (3): 5, 6, 9. doi:10.1080/13549839.2018.1557126. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ "World Weather Information Service". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ↑ Agbey, G. (20 August 2024). "President Akufo-Addo inaugurates Bolgatanga Regional Hospital". Daily Graphic. Accra, Ghana. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ Uduku, O. (2008). "Bolgatanga Library: Adaptive Modernism in Ghana 40 Years on". The Challenge of Change: Dealing with the Legacy of the Modern Movement. doi:10.3233/978-1-58603-917-2-265. hdl:20.500.11820/367facf7-5a6e-44fb-8e57-395025c0748a. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ↑ Tengma, Evelyn (17 December 2023). "The life story of Bolgatanga Central MP Isaac Adongo". 3News. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ghana Business News — Ghana's Premier Business News Portal". Ghana Business News. 9 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Economic Research & Foreign Direct Investment Analysis - Oxford Business Group". Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Dr. Maxwell Ayindenaba Dalaba | staff directory". directory.uhas.edu.gh. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Dr. Maxwell Ayindenaba Dalaba | staff directory". directory.uhas.edu.gh. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ Dalaba, Maxwell Ayindenaba. "Dr Maxwell Ayindenaba Dalaba | RSTMH". www.rstmh.org. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ I-TRVL. "Nsamini Guest House, Tanzui". GhanaTRVL. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Zorbisi - A1 Radio Bolgatanga". 17 July 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Where is Sokabisi? Bolgatanga Municipal District, Ghana coordinates & map 2026". Orti.se. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ I-TRVL. "Sokabisi Guest House, Bolgatanga". GhanaTRVL. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Sokabisi Clinic on Africa Directory Services". Africa Directory Services. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ I-TRVL. "Mama". GhanaTRVL. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
External links
edit- Official website
- Culture and tourism: Upper East in focus.
Media related to Bolgatanga at Wikimedia Commons
Bolgatanga travel guide from Wikivoyage
