Bole district is one of the seven administrative districts in the savannah region. It is located in the western corridor of the region and shares borders with La Cote D’Ivoire in the west, Tain, Kintampo North and Kintampo South districts in the south, West Gonja and Central Gonja districts in the east and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district in the north.

Bole is the district capital and it is about 99 Km from Damango, the regional capital. The terrible nature of the roads, especially the Sawla-Damongo stretch of the road, makes traveling to the regional capital very difficult.

The district stretches from Bamboi in the south to Bodi in the north and covers an area of about 10,500 sq Km.It is sub-divided into six sub-districts; namely Bamboi, Bole, Mandari, Mankuma, Jama and Tinga. These sub-divisions is for purposes of health care delivery and not administrative nor traditional.

District Target

Population

The population of the districts for 2024 is about 127,281 with an annual growth rate of 2.8%. (2022 PHC projected). Under one year population and expected deliveries (4% of district population) is 5,092 respectively. WIFA target is 30,548 (24.0% of district population) while children 0-59 months (20.0) accounts for 25,457. This population is located in 186 communities.

The people and settlement pattern

The main tribes inhabiting the district are Gonjas, Brifors, Vaglas, Dagaabas, Mosand Lobis. The Gonjas are the landlords.

Most of the settlements are located along the two main roads running through the district; the Bamboi–Wa trunk road and the Bole-Chache road that leads to La Cote D’Ivoire.

Main Economic Activities

Farming is the main economic activity of the people living in district. The main crops cultivated are yams, maize, guinea corn, cassava and millet. These crops are cultivated in quantities that only meet the household needs of the nuclear family and the rest are sold on market days for the purchase of ingredients for the family upkeep. Very few families can afford to farm on commercial scale. And an even smaller number of people engage in cashew nut plantation. Others engage in trading and hunting. Petty trading is concentrated in Bamboi, Bole and Tingalorry stations where most commercialdrivers and passengers stop to have refreshments and stretch their limbs. Market days occur every seven days in the big towns and they attract traders from neighboring districts as far as to Techiman in Brong-Ahafo Region. There has been a discovery of surface gold mining in two communities: Kui,inga sub-district and Cloth in Bole sub-district. These galamsay sites attract diverse population of people into the district.

Education

The district has four (4) Senior High Schools, forty five (45) Junior High Schools, eighty four (84) Primary schools, eighty two (82) Pre-Schools and one (1) Vocational/Technical institutions. The total enrolment for 2024/2025 academic year stood at 25,408 for both public and private schools. Out of this 21,444(84.4%) are in the public schools whilst 3,964 are in the private schools.

Water and sanitation

The district capital, Bole is the only town in the district that enjoys pipe borne water supply services. The town is supplied from four main boreholes that have been mechanized. The rest of the communities are served by boreholes, hand dug wells and dams. The district is blessed with a good water table that ensures that boreholes can be sunk in most villages to provide safe and potable water to the people.

Waste Management is carried out by the District Assembly in Bole,Bamboi and Tinga townships but indiscriminate dumping on unauthorized sites is practiced in the rest of the towns and villages in the district.

The Drainage system is poorly planned and flooding of streets and homes is common after every heavy rain fall in Bole and the other big towns.

About a third of the people in Bole have private toilets. Most people use public toilets in Bole and other big towns in the district but the majority of the populace defecate indiscriminately in the bush.

Health Institutions

The district has thirty six (36) health facilities comprising Bole district hospital, eight (8) health centers, one Medical Center, and twenty-one (21) functional CHPS compounds. There are thirty one (31) demarcated CHPS zone as compared to tweenty seven (27) electoral areas. All the facilities offer 24-hour services to the communities they serve.

The district hospital serves as the main referral facility for patients in the district and has a catchment population extending beyond the borders of the country into neighbouring Cote D’Ivoire.The main referral facility for the hospital is Wa regional hospital in the Upper West region and Tamale Teaching Hospital where complicated cases requiring further diagnosis and management are referred to.