Sekondi-Takoradi
| Sekondi-Takoradi | |
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  Sekondi-Takoradi
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country |  Ghana |
| Admin. Region | Western Region |
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| Government | |
| - Mayor | |
| Population (2005) | |
| - Total | 335,000 |
Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335,000 (2005), is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. It is Ghana's fourth largest city and an industrial and commercial center. The chief industries are timber, plywood, cigarettes, shipbuilding and railroad repair.[1] It lies on the main railway lines to Accra and Kumasi.
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History
Sekondi, older and larger, prospered from a railroad built in 1903 to hinterland mineral and timber resources. Takoradi has an important deepwater seaport, Ghana's first, built in 1928.[2] Both stemmed from 17th Century Dutch, Swedish and English forts.[1] During World War II, Takoradi Air Base was an important staging point for British aircraft destined for Egypt.[3] 26 Squadron SAAF was also based in Takoradi during WWII flying anti-submarine and convoy protection patrols over the Atlantic. A number of South African airmen are buried in the Takoradi European Public cemetery.[4]
The cities combined in 1946.
Education
Sekondi city currently has several 'secondary' schools, 'colleges', and 'Special' schools, ranging from single to mix sex variation. These are: St. John's School, Sekondi College, Ahantaman Secondary School, Fijai Secondary School, Adiembra Secondary School, Archbishop Porter Girls Secondary School and many others.
Takoradi has a well-equipped technical training centre (Takoradi Technical Institute, TTI, 1,400 students in two shifts) assisted by the German Government through GTZ/GOPA.
Apart from TTI, Takoradi has a polytechnic and other renowned secondary schools including Ghana Secondary Technical School, St. Mary Secondary School, Bompeh Secondary School, Takoradi Secondary School and many others. Takoradi is also a port city and has timber, energy, and technology industries. Over the years it has attracted a good number of investors, including miners as the city is close to the mining towns in the western part of Ghana.
It has a lot of beautiful beaches which also attracts tourists world wide.
Sekondi-Takoradi is a Sister City of Boston (Massachusetts, USA), Oakland (California, USA) and maintains a link with Plymouth (Devon, England).
Takoradi Technical Institute houses a Fab lab, equipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is the first of its kind in Africa.
Mercy Foundation International is an organization that works with vulnerable children and street children. It has recently opened an internet café and computer training center to encourage familiarity with computers and help them acquire computer skills.
Location
At 4° 55′ 0″ N, 1° 46′ 0″ W Takoradi is the largest city closest to the Equator and the Prime Meridian, making the city the most central location on the world map. The closest land to the Equator, Prime Meridian, and Sea Level is Cape Three Points, about 80 km west of Takoradi.
Sister cities
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0844338.html Infoplease.com entry on Sekondi-Takoradi
- ↑ http://www.ghanaports.gov.gh/GPHA/takoradi/index.html Port of Takoradi
- ↑ http://www.bibliovault.org/BV.book.epl?BookId=3985 Review of Soldiers Airmen Spies & Whisperers: Gold Coast In World War II
- ↑ http://www.southafricawargraves.org/lists/ghana.htm South African War Graves Project
External links
See also
- Railway stations in Ghana
- Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium
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