Akuse is a town in the Lower Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. The Akuse Government Hospital I understand was built in 1911. The Akuse Post Office is said to be among the first in the country during the colonial days.
My recent visit to Akuse Amedeka for a funeral revealed a lot of news. As usual I am not keeping them to myself; I will gladly share with you.
I am told the Akuse town is multicultural and as such multi-lingual; the much spoken languages are Ewe, Ada, Osudoku, Twi and Hausa. Let me make mention of the irrigation aided rice farming in Akuse.
At Amedeka which is usually called Akuse Amedeka largely because Akuse is the bigger or mother town, I took the opportunity to visit the River Volta that was a sight nearby. The Hospital and Post Office in Akuse serve the people in the surrounding towns including Amedeka. The Amedeka town has some amenities including a school.
God being so good, I met a young man, Korley Matthew who furnished me with a lot of answers. He is offering his National Service in a nearby town but lives in Amedeka.
The people of Amedeka and other settlements around the River Volta in that area were relocated there by the Volta River Authority, during the then Nkrumah Government when the construction of the Akosombo Dam took over their original homes. Such is the case of the Labolabo Settlement also.
The main occupation of the people in Amedeka is harvesting of fish and ‘osa’ from the river. Osa for lack of a better word is a type of black lobster which is a delicacy. The men do the harvesting of ‘osa’ from rocks in the river with their hands. They are usually kept in special net woven baskets in the river to prevent them from escaping and keeping them alive for later use. The women prepare them for selling in the markets of the bigger towns and along the highways.
According to Matthew, the spot we were standing on used to be the the first harbour during the erstwhile regime of the First President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. In our gaze, about 100metres away were broken down parts of a ship. Archaeology students from the University of Ghana, Legon usually visit the Amedeka waterfront to dig out materials for their studies.
Another site was the Akuse-Kpong Dam that could be about 400 metres away with a huge and wider collection of water more than where we were standing. The VRA sounds a loud siren anytime some gates are to be opened to let extra water out.
The dam generates hydroelectric power and it is operated by the Volta River Authority.
I am informed that it is the second biggest dam in Ghana. There are water routes from Amedeka to Sogakope and then to Ada.
Another fascinating news about Amedeka is that one of Ghana’s former presidents ever stayed there with the grandmother. Can you give a guess? That is the late former President Flt. Lieut. J J Rawlings.
Though there are treated water taps running through the town in the homes, some citizens choose to fetch their drinking water and water for other domestic use from the river.
The youth after completion of their studies move to the bigger towns and cities in search of greener pastures. This leaves the old folks alone in town. Another sight was the old roofing sheet fences around all the old compounds. This explained that Amedeka has been in existence for so many, many years ago.
Mathew confirmed that the inhabitants are very friendly and he is enjoying his stay at Amedeka. In Amedeka, there are mainly 2 languages, with Ewe dominating and Dangme being less.
Special thanks go to the group I travelled with who had time and patience for me anytime I had to take a shot especially my pastor, Pastor David Francis Akayue and Mathew who has become my resource person.
Kindly feel free to add what you know about Akuse Amedeka.
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