WODIV/Winneba Background

BACKGROUND OF THE EWUTU EFFUTU SENYA (AES) DISTRICT

The district before 1988, was part of the then Gomoa-Awutu-Effutu Senya District Council. The AES District Assembly was carved out of the District Council with the establishment of PNDC Law 207 of 1988, which re-demarcated the country into 10 districts.

The AES District is one of the 138 administrative districts in Ghana. The district has three paramounties namely; Awutu, Effutu and Senya with their paramount seats located at Awutu, Winneba and Senya respectively with Winneba as its district capital. it is also made up of two constituencies, 42 electoral areas, and 118 polling stations. The people of the district are mainly Guans.

Winneba
Winneba, the district capital, is about 66 km west of Accra; Ghana’s capital, on the Accra – Takoradi road. It is traditionally known as Simpa. Winneba is the principal town of the Effutu State founded around 1530 AD. According to history, the name Winneba originated from sailors who plied along the Atlantic Coast and who were often aided along the bay by a favorable wind. From their constant use of the words “windy bay” the name Winneba was coined. An alternative story of the origin is that it is a corruption "weighing Bar."

The indigenous dialect of Winneba is Effutu but Fante is widely spoken. As a coastal town, the principal occupation of the people is fishing. In the colonial days, Winneba was the second seat of administration in the Central Province of the Gold Coast (the then Ghana) and because of its salubrious weather, the colonial government made it a convalescing place for its European civil servants.

During the early post independence days, Winneba was particularly famous for the Ideological Institute established by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah which later became the “Mecca” for freedom fighters from all over Africa. Civil servants, ambassadors, and other public functionaries took short orientation courses at the institute.

Winneba has a proud history, culture and fascinating environment. As a former commercial hub, the town’s historic warehouses and other colonial architecture projecting against the long clean, white, breezy beaches provide a serene and congenial atmosphere for all manner of businesses.