THE GEOGRAPHY
Gomoa Tarkwa is one of the 78 Communities of the Gomoa West District of the Central Region of Ghana. It is among the 6 most populated communities in the District.
It is located in the North to Mankessim, South to Eshiem, East to Okwawu Debiso and West to Techiman. Again, the community is at least 45minutes drive from Ankamu (Apam Junction) and Agona Swedru respectively.
MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT
The people of Tarkwa by tribe are Fantes who originally migrated from present day Techiman (Bono East Region) to Mankessim. The Gomoa part of the Fante Group proceeded to modern day Gomoa Maim (ɔman mu) which later became an ancestral home for the people of Gomoa particularly because of pivotal and sacrificial role and great exhibition of strength of Egya Ahor and Asebuamenfi respectively.
With this anthropology, it presupposes that, their language is “Gomoa” which happens to be a dialect of Fante.
It has a Three (3) headed symbol signifying “Tsir Kor Mpam”. To wit “Two Heads are better than one. The Community is well known for it hospitality and accommodative features. In the light of this receptive feature, many who come there later adopt the community as their second home and in some cases completely adopt to stay without reverting to their root.
POPULATION AND ELECTORAL NUMBERS
The Community has over Ten Thousand (10,000) indigines thus residents and non residents with the majority being women and children. With regards to Voter Population, the community has Two Thousand Four Hundred and Eight-Five (2,485) registered voters according to the 2020 Voter Registration Exercise and the recently held Limited Voter Registration Exercise.
It is relevant to know that, the community’s voter population is low especially when you marry it with it original indigine population due to Rural Urban Migration and also for the purposes of farming in places such as Bogoso, Sehwi Wiaso, Agona Nkwanta, Asankraguaa, Twifo Praso, Agona Bobikuma, Ketu Kurom, Breman Jamra etc.
Again, there are four (4) major suburbs namely Sraha (Sarpong), Osu (Nkran), Odumase (Akatamanso) and Aboso (Aweabo).
With respect to Minor Suburbs, one can mention areas like Bethlehem (Odumase, where predominantly United Faith Church Members live), Estate also known as Quarters (Aboso, where some middle class members of the community live).
ANCESTRAL HOMES AND SOURCES OF WATER
Just as every community has it ancestral home(s) so it is with Tarkwa. Places like To-wo-bo-ase which literally means “take your time”, Attakwaamu and Woarabɛba are places Asona Family trace their root from. Again, places like Denyaaman ( where Kɔna Family trace their root) and Mankatta Kwaa (where Agona Family also trace their root from), just to mention but a few are all ancestral homes of modern day Gomoa Tarkwa.
Indeed, it is relevant to know that, the aforementioned places are not the only Ancestral Homes of the community.
Nonetheless, the community apart from Rain and Pipe Borne waters can talk of Awɔmberɛw, Buruku, Ekyinaba which literally means “you may abandon it for a while, however, you surely come back to it”. You mostly see it patronage mostly during dry season when all other sources of water are dried up.
Other sources include Boreholes and Dug Wells as well.
TRADITIONAL COUNCIL
In Akan setting, every community draws it powers or inspirations from an authority (Nananom) and also pay homage to. To this extent, the people of Tarkwa are certainly not an exception.
The Community originally draws it traditional authority from Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Council headquartered in Gomoa Assin. In hierarchical order of the Council, there are three (3) major Divisions thus Nyimfa, Benkum and Adonten Divisions. The Community finds itself with the Benkum Division which is headquartered in Gomoa Akropong No.1.
However, the community in the last few years has together with other five (5) sister communities formed a Council known as Attakyiman Traditional Council awaiting for official acceptance and gazetting of Regional and National Houses of Chiefs respectively.
