Sekondi-Takoradi ( seh-kon-DEE tar-ku-wh-DEE) is a city in Ghana comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan District and the Western Region of Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi is the region's largest city as well as an industrial and commercial center, with a population of 245,382 people, according to the 2021 census. Since 2025 the mayor of the city and the metropolitan area has been Frederick F. Faidoo, a lawyer. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah is the current member of parliament for Takoradi and Armah Blay Nyameke for Sekondi.
Both cities developed from Dutch and English forts built around the 17th century in the early colonial and trading period. After a railway and a deepwater seaport was built in Sekondi and Takoradi in 1903 and 1928, both cities became important economic sectors in Ghana. They merged in 1946.
Leading industries in the city are timber, cocoa processing, plywood, shipbuilding, its harbour and railway repair, and recently, sweet crude oil and crude oil. The most common occupation in Sekondi-Takoradi is fishing. Sekondi-Takoradi lies on the main railway lines to Kumasi.
Contents
History
Etymology
Sekondi is derived from the word second, after the settlement was chosen as the second location for a shallow water harbour. The name was previously spelled Secondee, and for Fort Sekondi, on the site of the city, the variant Zakonde was also used. There is not a consensus about the derivation of "Takoradi", there are at least two accounts. One accounts says it is an amalgamation of the local name Ntakorase, meaning under the ntakor tree and the Portuguese word for the slave post, "Taccarada", which merged into Takoradi through the versions Tacorrasi and Takoradze as the respective populations had trouble pronouncing the names. Before the arrival of the Portuguese, the city was also referred to as Amanfulkro (town of Amanful), a name that is still in limited use. According to another account, the name developed from the Ahanta expression Takora-adi (under the takore-dua (takore tree)). In some of the other Akan languages, there exist other versions - in Fante - Takora-adzi; in some of the Twi dialects it is Takora-asi. These versions are found as settlement names in other parts of the country - one close to Ataabadzi and one close to Akyem/in the region of the former Akyem and Kade, Ghana etc. The tree in question in both accounts is nowadays extinct.
Early settlement
Sekondi, the older and larger of the two towns, was the site of Fort Orange, Fort Witsen, and Fort Sekondi, all built in the 17th century by the Dutch. During this time, both the British and Dutch traders had such powerful influence in the town that effectively there were two corresponding political divisions: “British Sekondi” and "Dutch Sekondi”. Both European settlements essentially collapsed after the Dutch formally left in 1872.
The town prospered from a railroad built in 1903 to transport mineral and timber resources from the hinterland to the coast. In 1928, Ghana's first deepwater seaport was built in Takoradi.
During World War II, RAF Takoradi was an important staging point for British aircraft destined for Egypt. Spitfire fighter planes were shipped in crates from England to Takoradi, where they were assembled and flown via Nigeria and Sudan to Libya. 26 Squadron SAAF was also based in Takoradi during the conflict, flying anti-submarine and convoy protection patrols over the Atlantic. Some South African airmen are buried in the Takoradi European Public cemetery.
20th century to present
The two cities amalgamated after the war, on 2 December 1946. On 20 November 1969, the city became the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sekondi–Takoradi.
Economy
The city is an important commercial center in Ghana with an industrialized economy. Its location on the coast makes it an essential hub for fishing and trading activities. The Albert Bosomtwi-Sam Fishing Harbour, located in Sekondi. It is one of the largest fishing ports in the region. Historically it was a center for the timber and cocoa industries as these resources were transported into the city for export. The Takoradi Harbour and the Takoradi Market Circle are also an important sector in the city's economy. The discovery of oil in the region in 2010 have resulted in Sekondi-Takoradi to be known as the "Oil City".
Administration
The city has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the town council, the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly. The current mayor as of 2021 is Abdul-Mumin Issah.
Demographics
The population of Sekondi-Takoradi is 245,382 people, a -37.5% difference from the last census. Almost all of Sekondi-Takoradi's population is Christian, out of which 34.7% are Pentecostal/Charismatic, 25.6% are Protestant, and 14.3% are Catholic with the remaining 11.8% comprising numerous minor denominations. About 9% of the population is Muslim, 3.5% identifies as non-religious and 0.2% practices traditional African religions while the remaining 0.6% practices other religions. The major peoples found in the city are the Fante followed by the Ahanta, Nzema, Asante and Wassa people.
Geography
Metropolitan area
Sekondi-Takoradi is located in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan, which covers a land area of 191.7 km2 (74.0 sq mi). The metropolitan borders the Ahanta West District to the west, the Shama District to the east, the Wassa East District to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south.
Climate
Sekondi-Takoradi has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification: Aw), where it experiences a wet and dry season and the temperature being hot year-round. The average annual high is 28 °C (82 °F) while the average annual low is 22.2 °C (72.0 °F). The hottest time of year is from January to May, around the time the wet season begins.
The city receives a total amount of 126 mm (5.0 in) of rainfall throughout the year, with a distinct wet and dry season. The dry season is short, spanning from December to March while the wet season is between May and June. June, the wettest month, receives on average 346 mm (13.6 in). The relative humidity in the city is small and also erratic at times due to influence of sea and land breezes. The highest humidity is experienced in August after the rainy season and is the lowest in December.
Based on a 2017 study, Sekondi-Takoradi and the metro as a whole is prone to flooding due to its proximity to the Anankwari, Kansawura and Whin rivers. In 2009 and 2011, more than 1,000 people were rendered homeless after heavy rainfall caused the rivers to overflow their banks to the neighbouring communities.
Transportation
Sekondi is well-connected to other parts of Ghana and neighboring countries through a network of roads and railways. The city's port is a vital transportation hub, with several shipping lines providing regular services to other West African countries and Europe. The Takoradi Airport (TDI), located about 5 km from Sekondi, provides air transportation to other parts of Ghana and international destinations. There are public transport connections from Takoradi to major cities, such as Accra, Kumasi, Mim, Cape Coast, Sunyani, Tamale, Tema, Ho, Wa, Bolgatanga, Elubo, Aflao, and Techiman.
Culture
Sekondi-Takoradi has a rich cultural heritage, and the city is home to several landmarks and tourist attractions. Fort Sekondi and the local railway museum are some notable structures originated from the colonial era. The city also have notable nightlife, with several pubs, restaurants and clubs popping out all across the city. Many annual festivals are celebrated in the city, including the Ankos Festival and the Kundum Festival.
Healthcare
On 5 June 2024, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, commissioned a 60-bed polyclinic in New Takoradi, an upgrade from the original facility which was a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) program compound.
Education
The city has several secondary schools, colleges, and special schools. This is a list of senior high schools, colleges, and universities in the city:
Senior High Schools
St. John's School
Ghana Senior High Technical School
Baidoo Bonsoe Senior High Technical School
St. Mary's Boys' Senior High School
Methodist senior high school
Ahantaman Senior High School
Fijai Secondary School
Adiembra Secondary School
Bompeh Senior High Technical School
Archbishop Porter Girls Secondary School
Colleges/Universities
Takoradi Technical University
Nurses and Midwifery Training College
Holy Child Teachers Training College
Sekondi College
Takoradi Technical Institute houses a fab lab, equipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is the first of its kind in Africa. The Western Regional Library was established in Sekondi in 1955.
Sports
Sekondi-Takoradi is home to two stadiums, Essipong Stadium and Gyandu Park. Notable sports teams based in the city are FC Takoradi, Sekondi Hasaacas, and Sekondi Wise Fighters.
Media
As many as 114 internet service providers operate in the city, along with over 150 FM radio stations and 20 TV stations in the city. All of these services help with inter-communication around the residents.
Sister cities
The following shows the cities Sekondi-Takoradi is twined with:
Notable people
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, musician
Ben Bentil (born 1995), basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Esther Cobbah, communication specialist
Joseph Henry Smith, ambassador of Ghana to the United States
Mokowa Blay Adu-Gyamfi, former Ghanaian diplomat, current presidential advisor on HIV/AIDS at the Office of the President of Ghana
Shasha Marley, musician
Kiki Gyan, musician