Bekwai
| Bekwai | |
|---|---|
| Agricultural-Mining Town and District Capital | |
_location_map.png)  Bekwai Location of Bekwai within Ashanti | |
| Coordinates: 06°27′00″N 01°35′00″W / 6.45000°N 1.58333°WCoordinates: 06°27′00″N 01°35′00″W / 6.45000°N 1.58333°W | |
| City-State |
 Ashanti |
| Municipality | Bekwai Municipal |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 5,267[1] |
| • Ethnicity | Ashanti people |
| • Nationality | Ashanti |
| Time zone | GMT |
| • Summer (DST) | GMT (UTC) |
Bekwai is an agricultural-mining town and the capital of the Bekwai Municipal, a municipal of Ashanti.[2] Bekwai has asettlement population of 5,267 people.[1] Bekwai and the Bekwai Municipal are south of the Ashanti capital Kumasi, north of Obuasi.[2]
Economy
Manufacturing and industrial
Manufacturing and industrial output of Bekwai include processing of Agricultural products e.g. Oil palm Products, fruit Juice, cassava Starch, Powder Chips etc. and manufacturing of Ceramic Products, Bricks, Roofing Tiles, Pottery Products etc. (Bekwai industries: Bekwai’s industrial sector dominated by small scale private investment in the area of agro processing metal and wood based work, textiles and garments, leather works and food processing).[2]
Gold Mining
Development gold Mine in areas around Koniyaw and Kokotro in Bekwai Municipal where feasibility studies have confirmed availability of gold deposit in commercial quantities.[2] Minerals: Gold deposit, Sand and gravel wining, Clay deposit).
Agriculture
The municipality is endowed with the following agricultural potentials: Rich soils and favourable climate conducive for tree crop plantation and food crop production.[2] Availability of land for river valley rice production.[2] Establishment of citrus, Oil palm and cocoa seedling nursery and plantations.[2]
Major crops
Major crop grown in the municipality are maize, cassava, pepper, garden egg, cocoa, citrus, oil palm and cocoyam.[2] Cocoa production is done on commercial scale.[2] Average area cultivated is estimated around ten (10) acres.[2] Before the creation of the Bosome Freho district, the municipality accounted for 45% of the cocoa product in the district. Citrus and oil palm production are extensively cultivated in almost every area of the municipality.[2]
Operational areas
The Bekwai municipal is sub-divided into (10) ten operational areas manned by 10 Agricultural Extension Agent.[2] The extension – farmer ratio is estimated at one AEA to two thousand five farmers (1:2,500).[2]
Livestock and poultry production
The Bekwai municipality livestock production cattle and pig population is estimated around 1,000 and 1,800 respectively with sheep and goat population estimated at around 8,500.[2] Bekwai poultry production is a growing enterprise in the Bekwai municipal as poultry production is estimated around over 32,000 in the Bekwai municipality.[2] Area of major cattle and poultry production are Bekwai, Kokofu, Behenase, Adjamesu.[2]
Telecommunication
There are 37 public payphones from a total of 5,000 telephone lines that are installed throughout the Bekwai Municipal District.[2] Also, a post office has been established (Bekwai telecommunication: fixed line systems and mobile network) and (Bekwai electricity: 95% coverage).[2]
Healthcare and sanitation
There is also the state Bekwai Hospital. Bekwai is one of six settlements in the Bekwai Municipal District in which tap water is generally available.[2]
Train station
In Bekwai there is a train station.