Name of MMDA: Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly
Region: Central Region
Type of Assembly: District Assembly
Capital: Breman Asikuma
Year Established:1988, under Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1378. The area had earlier existed as a District Council from 1978.
The Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly (AOBDA) is one of the 22 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Ghana’s Central Region. The District was originally carved out of the former Ajumako-Enyan District Council in 1978 and was formally established as a District Assembly on 22 November 1988 under Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1378. Breman Asikuma serves as the administrative capital and is also the traditional capital of the Breman Traditional Area. The other principal traditional areas are Odoben and Brakwa.
The District is located in the north-central part of the Central Region. It shares boundaries with Birim South District in the Eastern Region to the north, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District to the south, Assin South District and Assin North Municipal to the west, and Agona East District to the east. This location gives the District important links between the Central and Eastern regions and places it within an area with considerable agricultural and natural-resource potential.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census recorded a population of 126,993, comprising 61,823 males and 65,170 females. Females therefore constituted approximately 51.3% of the population, while males accounted for 48.7%. The District had 65,629 urban residents and 61,364 rural residents, meaning that approximately 51.7% of the population lived in urban localities and 48.3% in rural localities. The Ghana Statistical Service records the District’s land area as 740 km².
Agriculture is the backbone of the District’s economy. Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa has fertile soils, a favourable climate and an extensive agricultural land base. Earlier district agricultural assessments identified approximately 575.15 km² of agricultural land, with about 353.94 km² under cultivation. Major crops include cocoa, oil palm, citrus, plantain, cassava, maize, cocoyam and vegetables. Livestock rearing, fishing and tree growing also contribute to rural livelihoods. The District has therefore remained predominantly agrarian, with opportunities for expanding agricultural production and value addition.
The District possesses significant natural resources. Its geological formations contain granite and muscovite granite, providing potential for quarrying and construction materials, particularly around Odoben, Kokoso, Otabilkwa, Attu Dauda and Fosuansa. The District is also drained by rivers including the Osia and Ochi, together with tributaries such as the Boyow, Atresu, Bemu, Ninsin, Suponso and Supuma. These water resources provide opportunities for irrigation, aquaculture and other forms of local economic development.
Breman Asikuma is the principal administrative and commercial centre. Other important communities include Breman Odoben, Breman Brakwa, Breman Kuntanase, Breman Bedum, Breman Jamra, Breman Nwomaso, Breman Kokoso, Breman Amoanda, Breman Anhwiam, Breman Nyamebekyere, Breman Fosuansa and Towoboase. These communities support farming, trading, transportation, agro-processing and other local economic activities.
Administratively, the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly is the highest political, administrative and planning authority in the District. It is responsible for local development planning, spatial planning, infrastructure provision, sanitation, environmental management, agricultural development, social services, local economic development and revenue mobilisation. The District has eight Town and Area Councils: Asikuma, Jamra, Odoben, Brakwa, Kuntanase, Breman North, Bedum and Ahwiam, which provide a decentralised framework for local administration.
The District forms one parliamentary constituency, the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency. The Assembly’s electoral structure has changed in different administrative documents over time. The 2021 GSS district profile records 32 elected Assembly Members and 14 Government Appointees, while some older Assembly documents refer to 36 or 38 electoral areas. For a current profile, the 2021 GSS figure of 32 elected members and 14 appointees is the more appropriate reference point.
The District has a strong traditional and cultural identity, centred on the Breman, Odoben and Brakwa traditional areas. Breman Asikuma serves as the seat of the Breman Traditional Council. Traditional institutions continue to play an important role in community mobilisation, land administration and cultural activities. The District’s traditional heritage, combined with its rural landscapes and forest resources, gives it potential for cultural and nature-based tourism.
Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa also has notable forest and ecological resources. Earlier agricultural assessments identified the Baako, Supong, Wawahi and Oboyow Forest Reserves, while natural attractions include historic stone formations around Sunsunhyen on the Aboaku Road. The District’s forests, rivers, agricultural landscapes and traditional communities provide a foundation for eco-tourism and community-based tourism if appropriately developed and conserved.
The District faces development challenges including poor feeder roads, inadequate infrastructure, limited agro-processing and storage facilities, sanitation concerns, unemployment and environmental pressures. The dispersed nature of rural settlements makes the provision and maintenance of infrastructure particularly demanding. Poor roads can also raise transportation costs for farmers and make it more difficult to move agricultural produce from production areas to markets.
There are, however, considerable opportunities for commercial agriculture, cocoa and oil-palm value addition, cassava processing, irrigation, aquaculture, quarrying, tourism and small-scale enterprise development. The District’s agricultural resources provide a strong raw-material base for agro-processing, while its rivers could support irrigation and fish farming. Its central position between neighbouring districts also gives it potential to develop as a local trading and agricultural distribution centre.
The District has also continued to invest in basic infrastructure and social services. Recent Assembly activities include projects aimed at improving access to potable water and educational infrastructure. In August 2026, the Assembly commissioned additional mechanised boreholes and handed over 600 school desks to the District Education Service Directorate, demonstrating continuing attention to water and education needs.
With Breman Asikuma as its administrative capital, the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly occupies an important position in the north-central Central Region. Its combination of agricultural land, mineral resources, rivers, forest reserves, traditional institutions and strategic regional location provides a strong foundation for local economic development. Continued investment in roads, agriculture, agro-processing, water, education, sanitation, environmental management and rural infrastructure will be important to translating these resources into sustainable development.
Key Profile Data
Name of MMDA: Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly
Population:126,993 according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, comprising 61,823 males and 65,170 females. The Assembly projects the population at 130,422 for 2025.
District Chief Executive (DCE):Hon. Olivia Bentil.
Presiding Member:Hon. Alexander Koomson.
Member of Parliament:Hon. Alhaji Alhasan Kobina Ghansah, (MP for the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency.)
Assembly Structure: The District Assembly is the highest political and administrative authority in the district and performs deliberative, legislative and executive functions. It operates through the General Assembly, Executive Committee, statutory and other sub-committees, District Coordinating Directorate and decentralised departments. The district has eight Town/Area Councils supported by Unit Committees.
Assembly Membership: The Assembly has 32 electoral areas. The current Assembly comprises 32 elected Assembly Members and 12 Government Appointees, giving 44 Assembly Members. The DCE forms part of the Assembly’s institutional structure, while the MP serves as an ex-officio member.
Agriculture – Cocoa, oil palm, cassava, maize, plantain, and vegetable farming dominate, with poultry and livestock production supporting rural livelihoods.
Trading & commerce – Breman Asikuma Market and other community markets serve as hubs for food crops, livestock, and household goods.
Agro-processing – Cassava flour, gari production, palm oil extraction, and maize milling are common small-scale activities.
Artisanal activities – Carpentry, tailoring, mechanics, and bead-making provide employment.
Fishing & aquaculture – Inland fishing activities along rivers and streams contribute to local livelihoods.
Flagship Projects & Programmes:
Agriculture: Establishment of cassava and palm oil processing centres; farmer support with improved seedlings and mechanization.
Infrastructure: Rehabilitation of feeder roads linking Breman Asikuma, Odoben, and Brakwa communities; construction of bridges and culverts to reduce flooding.
Health: Upgrading Breman Asikuma Health Centre, expanding CHPS compounds, and maternal health outreach programmes.
Education: ICT labs for schools, vocational training centres, and classroom blocks in rural and peri-urban communities.
Local Economic Development: Business counselling for MSMEs, entrepreneurship training, and automation of IGF collection.
Environment: Waste segregation and recycling projects, afforestation campaigns, and flood control measures.
SDGs Alignment:
SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Agricultural modernization and agro-processing to improve food security.
SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being): Strengthening healthcare facilities and maternal health services.
Agriculture – Cocoa, oil palm, cassava, maize, plantain, and vegetable farming dominate, with poultry and livestock production supporting rural livelihoods.
Trading & commerce – Breman Asikuma Market and other community markets serve as hubs for food crops, livestock, and household goods.
Agro-processing – Cassava flour, gari production, palm oil extraction, and maize milling are common small-scale activities.
Artisanal activities – Carpentry, tailoring, mechanics, and bead-making provide employment.
Fishing & aquaculture – Inland fishing activities along rivers and streams contribute to local livelihoods.
Key Investment Opportunities:
Agro-processing plants – Expansion of cassava, maize, and palm oil processing facilities for local consumption and export.
Market infrastructure – Modernization of Breman Asikuma Market and satellite markets to boost trading activities.
