Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly
- Name of MMDA: Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly
- Region: Western Region
- Type of Assembly: Municipal Assembly
- Capital: Tarkwa
- Year Established: 2007, under Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1886, inaugurated in 2008. The Municipality was carved out of the former Wassa West District.
The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly (TNMA) is one of the administrative municipalities located in the Western Region of Ghana. The Municipality was created from the former Wassa West District and established under Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1886 in 2008 as part of Ghana’s decentralisation programme. Tarkwa serves as the administrative capital. The Municipality’s establishment was intended to strengthen local governance, development planning, and the delivery of socio-economic services to communities within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem area. The Assembly’s current institutional framework is also reflected in the Local Government Service and subsequent administrative arrangements.
The Municipality is situated in the south-western portion of the Western Region and occupies an important position within Ghana’s historic gold-mining belt. It shares boundaries with the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipal Assembly to the north, Ahanta West Municipal Assembly to the south, Nzema East Municipal Assembly to the west, and Mpohor District and Wassa East District to the east. Its location places it within a major mineral-producing corridor connecting the interior mining communities with Sekondi-Takoradi and the coastal areas of the Western Region.
In terms of land area, the Municipality covers approximately 978.26 square kilometres according to the Western Regional Coordinating Council and long-standing Assembly planning documents. The 2021 Population and Housing Census recorded a total population of 218,664, comprising 113,055 males and 105,609 females. Males therefore constituted approximately 51.7% of the population, compared with 48.3% females. The Municipality is predominantly urban, although it also contains a substantial number of rural and farming communities.
The economy of Tarkwa-Nsuaem is strongly driven by mining, agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, construction, services, and hospitality. Gold mining is the dominant feature of the local economy, with major mining operations including Gold Fields Ghana’s Tarkwa Mine, while the Municipality is also home to the Ghana Manganese Company at Nsuta, making both gold and manganese important mineral resources. Agriculture remains an important livelihood activity, with crops including oil palm, rubber, cocoa, coffee, coconut, sugarcane, rice, maize, yam, plantain, cocoyam, and vegetables. The Municipality also has significant informal commercial activity and a growing services sector.
Tarkwa is the Municipality’s principal administrative, commercial, educational, and mining centre. Other major communities and settlements include Nsuaem, Nsuta, Benso, Dompim, Simpa, Tamso, Akyempim, Teberebe, Bonsa, Abontiakoon, Nkamponase, New Atuabo, Brahabebome, Kwabedu, Esuaso, Senyakrom, and Tarkwa Banso. These settlements support the Municipality’s mining, agricultural, commercial, transport, and residential activities, while communities such as Nsuta and Benso are particularly associated with mineral production and agriculture.
Administratively, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly is the highest political, administrative, and planning authority within the Municipality. The Assembly is responsible for local governance, development planning, spatial and physical development management, infrastructure provision, environmental health, sanitation, social services, agriculture, revenue mobilisation, and the coordination of decentralised government departments. The Municipality operates through one Urban Council and five Zonal Councils, namely the Tarkwa Urban Council, Nsuaem Zonal Council, Nsuta Zonal Council, Simpa Zonal Council, Dompim Zonal Council, and Benso Zonal Council.
The Assembly’s governance structure comprises elected Assembly Members representing the various electoral areas, Government Appointees, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), and the Member of Parliament for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency. The General Assembly serves as the principal local deliberative and policy-formulating body. The Municipality currently has 30 electoral areas, according to recent Assembly and Ghana News Agency reporting. The current MCE is Hon. Ebenezer Cobbinah, while Hon. Ebenezer Kwabena Yeboah was elected Presiding Member in February 2026. The Member of Parliament for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency is Hon. Issah Salifu Taylor.
Tarkwa-Nsuaem possesses important mineral, educational, industrial, environmental, and cultural assets. The Municipality is home to the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, one of Ghana’s principal institutions for mining, minerals, petroleum, and related technical education. Its mining heritage is reinforced by the Tarkwa gold-mining landscape and the manganese operations at Nsuta. The Municipality also contains the Bonsa River and several forest reserves, which provide important ecological resources. The former Bonsa Tyre Factory, established during Ghana’s early industrialisation period, forms part of the area’s industrial history.
The Municipality faces significant environmental and developmental challenges, particularly those associated with mining activities, illegal small-scale mining, land degradation, water pollution, infrastructure deficits, sanitation, and pressure on social services. The Bonsa River, an important water source for the area, has experienced pollution pressures associated with mining activities. Recent research and observations from UMaT have identified mining-related contamination and acid mine drainage as concerns affecting water and groundwater resources in parts of the Municipality. Other challenges include inadequate funding for development projects, difficulty acquiring suitable land for public infrastructure, road and drainage needs, and the provision of potable water and social amenities to growing communities.
Despite these challenges, Tarkwa-Nsuaem has substantial opportunities for responsible mineral development, mining-related services, agriculture, agro-processing, education, technical skills development, commerce, and environmental restoration. The presence of major mining companies and UMaT creates opportunities for local enterprise development, technical training, research, innovation, and mining-support industries. Agriculture also offers scope for value addition in cocoa, oil palm, rubber, food crops, and livestock, while the Municipality’s forests, rivers, mining heritage, and educational institutions provide opportunities for environmental and educational tourism. Recent Assembly initiatives have also included agricultural warehouses, processing centres, demonstration farms, health facilities, boreholes, roads, and community infrastructure.
With Tarkwa as its administrative capital, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly occupies a central position in Ghana’s Western mining economy. Its combination of gold and manganese resources, mining companies, UMaT, agricultural lands, commercial centres, forest resources, and strategic connections to the wider Western Region gives the Municipality a distinctive economic and institutional character. Its long association with Ghana’s mining industry, together with its expanding educational, agricultural, commercial, and service sectors, makes Tarkwa-Nsuaem an important administrative, industrial, educational, and mineral-resource hub within the Western Region.
Key Profile Data
- Population: 218,664
- Male: 113,055
- Female: 105,609
- Male population share: 51.7%
- Female population share: 48.3%
- Land area: 978.26 km²
- Capital: Tarkwa
- Major communities: Tarkwa, Nsuaem, Nsuta, Benso, Dompim, Simpa, Tamso, Akyempim, Teberebe, Bonsa, Abontiakoon
- Urban/Zonal Councils: 6, comprising 1 Urban Council and 5 Zonal Councils
- Electoral Areas: 30
- Parliamentary Constituency: 1, Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency
- Year established: 2008
- Establishing legislation: L.I. 1886
- Region: Western Region
- Total Land Area: 978.26 sq. km.
- Population: 218,664 according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, comprising 113,055 males and 105,609 females.
- Major Towns/Communities: Tarkwa, Nsuaem, Aboso, Banso, Tamso, Simpa, Nsuta, Dompim, Benso, Akyempim, Essamang, New Atuabo, Agona, Cyanide, Esuaso, Brahabebome, Kwabedu, Akodwoa, Senyakrom, Teberebe, Nkamponase, Abontiakoon and Tarkwa Zongo.
- Boundaries:
- North: Prestea-Huni Valley Municipal Assembly
- East: Mpohor District Assembly
- West: Nzema East Municipal Assembly
- South: Ahanta West Municipal Assembly.
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- Municipal Chief Executive (MCE): Hon. Ebenezer Cobbinah
- Presiding Member: Hon. Ebenezer Kwabena Yeboah
- Member of Parliament: Hon. Issah Salifu Taylor, (MP for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency)
- Assembly Structure: The Assembly operates through the General Assembly, Presiding Member, Executive Committee, statutory and other sub-committees, the Municipal Coordinating Directorate and decentralised departments. Its sub-district structures comprise one Urban Council, Tarkwa Urban Council, and five Zonal Councils: Nsuaem, Nsuta, Simpa, Dompim and Benso. The Municipality has approximately 438 communities.
- Assembly Membership: The Assembly has 43 Assembly Members, comprising 30 elected members and 13 government appointees. The MCE and MP are additional members of the Assembly, bringing the broader composition to 45 members.
- Key Sectors of Focus:
- Mining and natural resources – Gold mining and quarrying remain the backbone of the local economy.
- Agriculture – Cocoa, oil palm, cassava, and food crop production in rural communities.
- Education – Expansion of classroom blocks, ICT integration, and vocational/technical training for youth.
- Health – Upgrading health centres, expanding CHPS compounds, and improving maternal and child health services.
- Roads & Infrastructure – Rehabilitation of township and feeder roads to improve connectivity between mining and farming communities.
- Water & Sanitation – Borehole construction, toilet facilities, waste management, and hygiene education.
- Local Economic Development – Market modernization, SME support, and youth entrepreneurship initiatives.
- Environment & Climate Resilience – Afforestation, flood control, and climate-smart agriculture.
- Flagship Projects & Programmes:
- Mining & Industry: Collaboration with mining companies for community development, reclamation of degraded lands, and establishment of local content policies.
- Agriculture: Establishment of oil palm and cassava processing centres; farmer support with improved seedlings and mechanization.
- Education: ICT labs for schools, vocational training centres, and classroom blocks in rural communities.
- Health: Expansion of CHPS compounds, maternal health outreach, and sanitation improvement projects.
- Infrastructure: Rehabilitation of feeder roads linking farming and mining communities, storm drain construction, and rural electrification.
- Water & Sanitation: Borehole drilling, toilet facilities, and waste segregation projects.
- Local Economic Development: Business incubators for youth, agro-processing SMEs, and automation of IGF collection.
- Environment: Afforestation campaigns, flood control, and climate resilience programmes.
- SDGs Alignment:
- SDG 1 (No Poverty): SME support, youth employment, and social protection programmes.
- SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Agricultural modernization, fisheries development, and agro-processing to improve food security.
- SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being): Strengthening healthcare facilities and maternal health services.
- SDG 4 (Quality Education): Classroom expansion, ICT integration, and vocational training.
- SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation): Improved sanitation coverage and water supply systems.
- SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth): SME support, youth employment, and agro-industrial expansion.
- SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure): Road rehabilitation, ICT integration, and agro-processing facilities.
- SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities): Flood control, rural electrification, and urban renewal.
- SDG 13 (Climate Action): Climate resilience projects, afforestation, and disaster risk reduction.
- SDG 15 (Life on Land): Forest conservation, watershed protection, and biodiversity preservation.
- Main Economic Activities:
- Mining – Gold mining is the backbone of the local economy, with large-scale companies and artisanal miners operating in the municipality.
- Agriculture – Cocoa, oil palm, cassava, maize, and vegetables cultivated in rural communities.
- Commerce and trade – Vibrant markets in Tarkwa township and surrounding communities drive retail and wholesale trade.
- Agro-processing – Small-scale processing of cassava (gari, flour), palm oil, and cocoa products.
- Transport services – Road transport and logistics linked to mining and agriculture.
- Tourism – Mining heritage sites, cultural festivals, and eco-tourism potential in forest reserves.
- Key Investment Opportunities:
- Mining value addition – Establishment of gold refinery and jewelry production facilities.
- Agro-processing plants – Expansion of cassava, palm oil, and cocoa processing for local consumption and export.
- Market infrastructure – Modernization of Tarkwa Central Market and rural trading centres.
- Agricultural mechanization – Tractor services, irrigation systems, and improved seed distribution.
- Tourism promotion – Development of mining heritage tourism, eco-tourism sites, and hospitality services.
- Renewable energy projects – Solar electrification and green energy adoption to support mining and farming communities.
- ICT & innovation hubs – Establishment of digital centres for youth training, entrepreneurship, and e-commerce.
- Business Support Services:
- Business Advisory Centre (BAC) – Provides training, entrepreneurship support, and SME development.
- Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) – Offers financial and technical support for small businesses.
- Banks & microfinance institutions – Provide credit facilities to traders, farmers, and artisans.
- Farmer cooperatives & market associations – Support collective bargaining, advocacy, and access to inputs.
- NGO & donor programs – Initiatives in agriculture, mining community development, women’s empowerment, and youth employment.
- Mining community associations – Facilitate dialogue between mining companies and local communities, ensuring corporate social responsibility projects.
- Health Facilities:
- Tarkwa Municipal Hospital – The main referral hospital in the municipality, offering general outpatient services, surgery, maternal and child health, and emergency care.
- Apinto Government Hospital – Provides specialized services including internal medicine, pediatrics, and maternity care.
- CHPS Compounds – Located in rural communities such as Nsuaem, Aboso, and Simpa, delivering primary healthcare, immunization, and family planning.
- Private Clinics – Complement public facilities with laboratory, dental, and specialized care.
- Challenges: Overcrowding at major hospitals, shortage of medical specialists, and limited ambulance services for mining-related emergencies.
- Educational Institutions:
- Tarkwa Senior High School (TARSCO) – A leading second-cycle institution offering science, arts, and business programmes.
- University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) – A national centre of excellence in mining, engineering, and applied sciences.
- Basic Schools – Numerous public and private primary and JHS across Tarkwa township and rural communities.
- Vocational & Technical Training Centres – Centres offering ICT, carpentry, tailoring, mechanics, and artisanal training for youth.
- Challenges: Overcrowding in SHS classrooms, inadequate ICT labs, and limited infrastructure in rural schools.
- Road Network Condition:
- Major Roads – The Tarkwa–Takoradi highway and Tarkwa–Bogoso road serve as key transport routes for mining and trade.
- Township Roads – Rehabilitation projects ongoing in Tarkwa township to ease congestion.
- Feeder Roads – Many rural roads remain untarred, becoming impassable during rainy seasons, especially in farming and mining communities.
- Challenges: Poor maintenance, traffic congestion, flooding, and limited connectivity between mining centres and farming villages.
- Water & Sanitation Coverage:
- Pipe-borne water – Ghana Water Company supplies urban centres, though intermittent shortages occur.
- Boreholes – Mechanized boreholes supplement water supply in peri-urban and rural communities.
- Public Toilets – Available in urban centres, but rural areas still face open defecation challenges.
- Waste Management – Refuse collection services concentrated in Tarkwa township, with sanitation exercises in smaller communities.
- Drainage Systems – Ongoing construction of storm drains to reduce flooding in low-lying areas.
- Challenges: Inadequate coverage, poor maintenance, and need for improved hygiene education.
- Waste Management Systems:
- Refuse collection points – Established in Tarkwa township, but rural communities still rely heavily on open dumping.
- Waste disposal sites – Existing sites are unmanaged, leading to leachate and pollution risks, especially near mining areas.
- Sanitation exercises – Monthly clean-up campaigns organized with schools, churches, mining community associations, and traditional authorities.
- Door-to-door collection – Piloted in Tarkwa township, but not extended to rural settlements.
- Community sanitation committees – Local groups monitor refuse collection, boreholes, and hygiene education.
- Private contractor partnerships – The Assembly collaborates with waste companies for refuse evacuation in urban centres.
- Climate Adaptation Efforts:
- Afforestation campaigns – Tree planting in schools, mining-degraded lands, and community forests to restore vegetation cover.
- Climate-smart agriculture – Farmer training on irrigation, soil conservation, and drought-resistant crops like cassava, maize, and cocoa.
- Disaster risk reduction – Flood control projects, dredging of drains, and sensitization on disaster preparedness.
- Renewable energy promotion – Encouraging solar-powered irrigation, household electrification, and green energy adoption in mining communities.
- Watershed protection – Safeguarding rivers, streams, and wetlands from mining pollution and overuse.
- Eco-tourism integration – Linking conservation efforts with cultural and mining heritage tourism.
- Environmental Challenges:
- Deforestation – Logging, farming expansion, and mining activities contribute to forest loss.
- Flooding – Poor drainage and heavy rainfall cause seasonal floods in low-lying areas.
- Waste disposal issues – Inadequate engineered landfill sites and poor household waste segregation.
- Climate variability – Unpredictable rainfall patterns affecting cocoa, cassava, and maize yields.
- Soil erosion – Farming on slopes, sand winning, and mining activities increase vulnerability.
- Water pollution – Mining runoff, improper waste disposal, and agricultural chemicals threaten rivers, streams, and wetlands.
- Public Engagement Strategies:
- Community durbars – Traditional gatherings in Tarkwa township and mining communities where chiefs, Assembly members, and residents deliberate on development priorities.
- Town hall meetings – Organized by the Assembly to present budgets, project updates, and receive citizen feedback.
- Radio and local media – Local FM stations broadcast Assembly announcements, civic education, and interactive programmes for community input.
- Participatory planning – Citizens involved in prioritizing projects such as road rehabilitation, school expansion, and sanitation initiatives.
- Feedback mechanisms – Suggestion boxes at the Assembly office, complaint desks at zonal councils, and liaison officers documenting community concerns.
- Digital platforms – WhatsApp groups for youth and traders, Facebook pages for Assembly updates, and SMS alerts for sanitation exercises or health campaigns.
- Stakeholder consultations – Engagement with NGOs, CSOs, mining companies, religious leaders, and traditional authorities to co-design development programmes.
- Youth & Women Inclusion Mechanisms:
- Youth empowerment programmes – Skills training in ICT, carpentry, tailoring, and entrepreneurship, with youth involvement in decision-making committees.
- Women’s cooperatives – Platforms for women traders, farmers, and fish processors to access credit, training, and advocacy.
- Gender mainstreaming – Ensuring women’s representation in Assembly sub-committees and leadership roles.
- Youth councils – Formal structures for young people to contribute to local governance and community development.
- Social protection initiatives – Targeted support for vulnerable women and youth, including livelihood programmes, scholarships, and microfinance access.
| 1. | NKWANTA |
| 2. | AKODWOA |
| 3. | NSUAEM ZONGO |
| 4. | ESSAMANG |
| 5. | BOYAYA |
| 6. | ASIKAFOAMBATEM |
| 7. | DOMPIM |
| 8. | BONSA |
| 9. | AGONA |
| 10. | AKYEMPIM |
| 11. | SENYAKROM |
| 12. | TAMSO |
| 13. | NSUTA |
| 14. | TARKWA BANSO |
| 15. | TEBREBE |
| 16. | NKAMPONASE |
| 17. | NEW ATUABO |
| 18. | ABONTIAKOON |
| 19. | GREEN COMPOUND |
| 20. | BRAHABEBOME |
| 21. | OLD TOWN |
| 22. | TARKWA/ABOSO |
| 23. | ZONGO |
| 24. | KWABEDU |
| 25. | CYANIDE |
| 26. | LAYOUT |
| 27. | BRENUAKYEM |
| 28. | KADADWEN |
| 29. | BENSO |
| 30. | ESSUASO |