Ho, Ghana
Encyclopedia
Ho is a town in southeast Ghana
and is the capital of the Volta Region
. It lies between Mount Adaklu
and Mount Galenukui (Togo Atakora Range), and is home to a museum
, a cathedral
and a large prison
. The language spoken is Ewe
and English being the official Language of the country].
The city arose initially from a union of two villages namely, Banakoe (today Bankoe) and Hegbe (today Heve). A group of Bankoers left Bankoe to settle in Ahliha (today Hliha). Later on, Ahoe and Dome came to join the union to form today's Ho. Suburbs such as Deme (originated from Taviepe, also in the Ho municipality) due to a historical conflict sought refuge in Ho. They were then given land to settle and developed into a suburb which is now called Deme. Other suburbs which were independent villages are Sokode, Ziavi, Klepe, Adaklu, Akoepe, Takla, Kpenoe, and Hoviepe.
The traditional festival of the people of Ho is the yam festival which is celebrated around September.
Ho was a part of the German
colony
of Togoland
until World War I
, when it was occupied by the British
. Ho later became the capital of the League of Nations mandate
of British Togoland
until that entity's incorporation into the British Gold Coast colony
, which subsequently became Ghana.
Unlike the capital of Ghana, Accra
, Ho seems like a village that has swollen into a city. While in central parts the roads are paved, those roads outside are not.
The city is home to two hospital
s, including the Volta Regional Hospital, completed in the year 2000 with a loan from the British government. There are also numerous clinics available in the city.
Ho is noted for a lively and huge open market that attracts people from all over Ghana and Togo. There are numerous churches, including the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ho. Ho Sports Stadium
is also located in the town. Famous educational institutions include: Ho Polytechnic, Mawuli School, OLA Girls' Secondary School, Kabore School Complex and Dora Memorial School.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and is the capital of the Volta Region
Volta Region
Volta Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It is to the east of Lake Volta. Its capital is Ho.-List of districts:The region has 18 districts consisting of 3 municipal and 15 ordinary districts:-Background:...
. It lies between Mount Adaklu
Mount Adaklu
Mount Adaklu is a mountain situated 12 km from Ho in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is one of the highest in Ghana at about 600 m above sea level and is venerated by the inhabitants of nearby villages of the Ewe ethnic group. The mountain is surrounded by nine villages.Tours are organized of...
and Mount Galenukui (Togo Atakora Range), and is home to a museum
Volta Regional Museum
The Volta Regional Museum is a museum in Ho, Ghana. Established in 1973, it focuses on ethnographic history....
, a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
and a large prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. The language spoken is Ewe
Ewe language
Ewe is a Niger–Congo language spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin by approximately six million people. Ewe is part of a cluster of related languages commonly called Gbe, spoken in southeastern Ghana, Togo, and parts of Benin. Other Gbe languages include Fon, Gen, Phla Phera, and Aja...
and English being the official Language of the country].
The city arose initially from a union of two villages namely, Banakoe (today Bankoe) and Hegbe (today Heve). A group of Bankoers left Bankoe to settle in Ahliha (today Hliha). Later on, Ahoe and Dome came to join the union to form today's Ho. Suburbs such as Deme (originated from Taviepe, also in the Ho municipality) due to a historical conflict sought refuge in Ho. They were then given land to settle and developed into a suburb which is now called Deme. Other suburbs which were independent villages are Sokode, Ziavi, Klepe, Adaklu, Akoepe, Takla, Kpenoe, and Hoviepe.
The traditional festival of the people of Ho is the yam festival which is celebrated around September.
Ho was a part of the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of Togoland
Togoland
Togoland was a German protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana. The colony was established during the period generally known as the "Scramble for Africa"...
until World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when it was occupied by the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. Ho later became the capital of the League of Nations mandate
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
of British Togoland
British Togoland
British Togoland was a League of Nations Class B mandate in West Africa, under the mandatory power of the United Kingdom. It was effectively formed in 1916 by the splitting of the occupied German protectorate of Togoland into two territories, French Togoland and British Togoland, during the First...
until that entity's incorporation into the British Gold Coast colony
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
, which subsequently became Ghana.
Unlike the capital of Ghana, Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ho seems like a village that has swollen into a city. While in central parts the roads are paved, those roads outside are not.
The city is home to two hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s, including the Volta Regional Hospital, completed in the year 2000 with a loan from the British government. There are also numerous clinics available in the city.
Ho is noted for a lively and huge open market that attracts people from all over Ghana and Togo. There are numerous churches, including the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ho. Ho Sports Stadium
Ho Sports Stadium
Ho Sports Stadium is a stadium in Ho, Ghana. It has 5,000 seats and is home to International Allies F.C.....
is also located in the town. Famous educational institutions include: Ho Polytechnic, Mawuli School, OLA Girls' Secondary School, Kabore School Complex and Dora Memorial School.