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Aflao
Border town
View of Aflao and the Ghana–Togo border
AflaoLocation in Volta Region
Coordinates: 06°08′48.4″N 01°10′47.6″E / 6.146778°N 1.179889°E / 6.146778; 1.179889
Country	Ghana
Region	Volta Region
District	Ketu South District
Government
• Municipal chief	Hon. Maxwell Koffie Lugudor
Population
• Total	66,546
• Ethnicities	Ewe Akan Ga-Adangbe
• Religions	Christianity Islam traditional African religions
	Ranked 28th in Ghana
Time zone	GMT
• Summer (DST)	GMT
Postal district	VZ
Area code	+233 (3625)
Climate	Aw
Website	ketusouth.gov.gh

Aflao is a border town in the Ketu South District in the Volta Region of Ghana on the border with Togo. Aflao is the twenty-eighth most populous settlement in Ghana, in terms of population, with a population of 66,546 people (according to a 2012 estimate). The current municipal chief of Aflao is Hon. Maxwell Koffie Lugudor.

History

During the Atlantic slave trade, the town grew from interference from the Anlo, towards the west, and Little Popo (Aného) towards the east, located in present-day Togo. During this time, it change hands from the Danish to the British in 1850 due to slavery ending. In 1879, The British added Aflao into the Gold Coast after initially not being included. During the late twentieth century, the border became a site of reincurring tensions. At the peak of the 1982-83 revolution, the town was under consist surveillance as border guards and cadres attempted to enforce a curfew. During this time, from 1986 to 1987, Togolese officers install a fence along the border's southern stretch after attacks from Ghanaian insurgents.

Economy

The Diamond Cement Ghana Limited factory is located at Aflao. In early 2014, a 2.5 km rail siding was completed to connect the cement works to the port of Lomé. This siding crosses the border from Togo to Ghana and is of the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge. The total average annually volume of trade that goes through the border crossing, from data in 1996, is 24,876,651 kilograms (54,843,628 lb).

Demographics

As of a 2012 estimate, Aflao has a population of 66,546 people. Most of the population is religious, with the largest religion being Christianity. Other popular religions include Islam and traditional African religions. Historically, Aflao people believed in one universal goddess named Mawu, which is believed to be all powerful and everywhere. The majority of the population is Ewe, followed by the Akan and Ga-Adangbe people.

Administration

The town's municipality 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 Ketu South Municipal Assembly. As of 2024, the current mayor of the municipal is Hon. Maxwell Koffie Lugudor.

Geography

Aflao is located on the eastern coast of Ghana and is a major border town neighboring Togo.

Municipality area

The town is also located in the Ketu South Municipal District, which has a total land area of 779 square kilometres (301 sq mi). The municipality bordered Togo to the east, Keta Municipal District towards the west, the Ketu North District to the north and the Gulf of Guinea towards the south.

Climate

Aflao has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), experiencing a wet season and a dry season annually whilst the dry season occurs from December to February. The wet usually lasts from April to July or from September to October. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 850 to 1,000 mm (2.79 to 3.28 ft) while the mean monthly temperatures are usually from 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F).

Culture

Aflao is located in the Aflao traditional area has Togbui Amenya Fiti V as its paramount chief. He is the traditional ruler of the land and performs traditional administrative and ceremonial functions in the area.

Transport

At the border crossing, the most popular mode of transportation is pushcarts, followed by trucks/cargo trucks.

Healthcare

Aflao is home to an port health unit, a facility under the Port Health Directorate (division of the Ghana Health Service) which helps to combat public health emergencies at Ghana's land border crossings.

Notable people

• Dzifa Gomashie (born 1965), former Deputy Minister of Tourism
• Joseph Kossivi Ahiator (born 1956), artist
• Komla Dumor (1972-2014), journalist

See also

• Godigbe festival
• Railway stations in Togo
• Railway stations in Ghana

Explanatory notes

1. Sources: 2000 census, 2010 and 2012 estimates
2. In Ghana, the term 'traditional area' is used to describe an area in which all of its community members shared the same culture, and are under the same Omanhene (Paramount Chief)

References

1. ^ Kpodo, E. (13 February 2024). "Choose peace: Maxwell Lugudor appeals to Ketu South chiefs". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
2. ^ "World Gazetteer online". World-gazetteer.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012.
3. ^ 2010 population & housing census (Ketu South District) (PDF) (Report). Ghana Statistical Service. 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
4. ^ Morris, G.; Dadson, J. (2000). Ghana: Cross-border Trade Issues (PDF) (Report). USAID. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
5. Mikhailov & Garrard 2021, p. 148.
6. Mikhailov & Garrard 2021, p. 149.
7. "Production slumps at Diamond Cement". ghanaweb.com. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
8. Anane, M. (22 February 2014). "Rail line linking Diamond Cement, Lome Port completed". Graphic Online. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
9. "Population of Regions and Districts Report (2000) (Report). Vol. 1. Ghana Statistical Service. p. 126. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
10. A Guide to District Assemblies in Ghana (PDF). Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Ghana. 2010. pp. 37, 38. ISBN 9988572131. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
11. Awuah-Nyamekye, S. Managing the Environmental Crisis in Ghana: The role of African Traditional Religion and Culture—A case study of Berekum Traditional Area (PDF) (Thesis). University of Leeds. OCLC 883285669. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
12. Togbui, Fiti. "Togbui Fiti Appeals For Gov't Intervention In Aflao Dispute". Spyghana. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
13. "Language Ideology and Practice on the Aflao-Lome Borderland: The Case of two Border School". Archived from the original on 17 June 2011.
14. "IOM supports Government with handling public health emergencies at main land borders". IOM Ghana. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
15. "Ketu-South: Dzifa Gomashie wins primary in NDC's 'World Bank'". Citinewsroom. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
16. "Mami Wata", Encyclopedia of African Religion, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks California 91320 United States: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2009, doi:10.4135/9781412964623.n256, ISBN 9781412936361, retrieved 14 September 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
17. "Body of Komla Dumor arrives in Ghana". myjoyonline.com. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2024.

Bibliography

• Mikhailov, E.; Garrard, J., eds. (2021). "11". Twin Cities across Five Continents: Interactions and Tensions on Urban Borders. Taylor & Francis. pp. 147–158. ISBN 9781000479119.

External links

• Official website
• Media related to Aflao at Wikimedia Commons
• Aflao travel guide from Wikivoyage

06°08′48.4″N 01°10′47.6″E / 6.146778°N 1.179889°E / 6.146778; 1.179889

v t e Places adjacent to Aflao
Togo Denu Aflao  Togo Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean)

v t e Cities and towns of Ghana by population
2,000,000+	Kumasi (Ashanti) Accra (Greater Accra)
1,000,000+	Sekondi-Takoradi (Western) Tamale (Northern)
800,000+	Sunyani (Brong-Ahafo) Cape Coast (Central) Obuasi (Ashanti) Koforidua (Eastern)
100,000+	Tema (Greater Accra) Techiman (Brong-Ahafo) Ashaiman (Greater Accra) Teshie (Greater Accra) Madina (Greater Accra) Wa (Upper West)
80,000+	Ho (Volta) Nungua (Greater Accra) Lashibi (Greater Accra) Dome (Greater Accra) Gbawe (Greater Accra) Kasoa (Central)
60,000+	Ejura (Ashanti) Taifa (Greater Accra) Bawku (Upper East) Aflao (Volta) Agona Swedru (Central) Bolgatanga (Upper East) Tafo (Ashanti) Berekum (Brong-Ahafo) Nkawkaw (Eastern) Akim Oda (Eastern) Winneba (Central)
40,000+	Hohoe (Volta) Yendi (Northern) Suhum (Eastern) Kintampo (Brong-Ahafo) Adenta East (Greater Accra) Nsawam (Eastern) Mampong (Ashanti) Konongo (Ashanti)
20,000+	Asamankese (Eastern) Wenchi (Brong-Ahafo) Japekrom (Brong-Ahafo) Savelugu (Northern) Agogo (Ashanti) Anloga (Volta) Prestea (Western) Effiakuma (Western) Tarkwa (Western) Elmina (Central) Dunkwa-on-Offin (Central) Begoro (Eastern) Kpandu (Volta) Navrongo (Upper East) Axim (Western) Apam (Central) Salaga (Northern) Saltpond (Central) Akwatia (Eastern) Shama (Western) Keta (Volta) Nyakrom (Central) Bibiani (Western) Goaso (Ahafo Region) Somanya (Eastern) Assin Foso (Central)
5,000+	Aburi (Eastern) Banda Ahenkro (Brong-Ahafo) Mumford (Central) Bechem (Brong-Ahafo) Duayaw Nkwanta (Brong-Ahafo) Kade (Eastern) Anomabu (Central) Akropong (Eastern) Kete Krachi (Volta) Kibi (Eastern) Kpandae (Northern) Mpraeso (Eastern) Akim Swedru (Eastern) Aboso (Western) Bekwai (Ashanti)
Regional capitals in bold Kumasi Accra Sekondi-Takoradi Tamale Sunyani Cape Coast Koforidua Wa Ho Bolgatanga Administrative Divisions of Ghana Regions of Ghana Districts of Ghana Parliament Constituencies of Ghana Settlements in Ghana

• Africa

• Populated places in the Volta Region
• Ghana–Togo border crossings