Overview
The Lawra Municipality is one of the eleven Municipal/Districts that make up the Upper West Region. It lies in the north-western corner of the Upper West Region of Ghana. It is bounded to the North by Nandom Municipal, to the East by Lambussie District, to the South by Jirapa Municipal and to the West by the Republic of Burkina Faso. The total area of the Municipality is put at 1,051.2 square km. This constitutes about 5.7% of the Region’s total land area, which is estimated at 18,476 square km. The total municipal population is estimated total at 62,988 for 2024, projected from the 2021 population and housing census.
The Municipal is mainly accessible by road from all the areas that borders it. From the National capital Accra, access to Lawra Municipal is through the Regional Capital, Wa. The distance between the Municipal and the Regional Capital is estimated at 90km. The location of the Municipal promotes trade and movement of population between neighboring Burkina Faso.
The Municipal Health Management Team (MHMT) comprises the office of the Municipal Director, reproductive and child health unit, health information systems, disease control, nutrition, health promotion, accounts and Administration and Support Services. The units are responsible for assisting in the strategic planning, resource mobilization and distribution, training, technical support, monitoring and evaluation of service delivery in the sub municipals and health facilities in the Municipality.
There are also five sub-municipal health systems managed by Sub-Municipal Health Management Teams. The five sub municipals comprise of 50 functional CHPS zones, 1 municipal hospital, 1 Polyclinic, and 8 health centres.
These five (5) sub-municipals are Lawra, Zambo, Eremon, Domwine and Babile with health centres completing the municipal hospital in the provision of clinical and public healthcare.
In an effort to reach all settlers in the municipality, the municipal health directorate has implemented the CHPS strategy and currently has 50 functional CHPS zones, 17 with compounds. Out of the 17, three (3) are community-led improvised CHPS compounds.
There are 97 trained TBAs, 115 community-based surveillance volunteers and 177 CBAs. There are 64 Traditional Healers / Herbalists and 11 chemical sellers in the municipality with most of them located in Lawra and Babile towns. These shops serve as sources of first aid drugs for the mass populace in the municipality.
Vision
The Lawra Municipal Health Directorate envisions people living in Lawra Municipal live longer and healthier, wealthier and happier.
Mission Statement
The mission of the municipal is to improve the health status of the people of the Lawra Municipality through the provision of quality health services that are accessible and affordable to the people and delivered with their involvement by well-motivated staff.
Ethnicity and Religion
The dominant ethnic groups are Dagaaba and Lobi who speak Dagari and Lobi respectively. There are however a few Waala and other settlers from across the country.
The people belong to different religious denominations mainly Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religions. The people of Lawra paramountcy celebrate “Kobine” festival every October, which serves to thank the gods for bumper harvest.
Economic Activities
It is estimated that 83% of the population are engaged in subsistence agriculture. Food production is low due to the poor nature of the soil and unfavourable weather condition. Most of the youth have to migrate to the southern part of the country every year either immediately after harvesting the poor yields of crops from their small sized farms or after writing their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) or the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Animal farming, especially poultry rearing is a lucrative venture in the municipal. Fishing also goes on along the Black Volta and its tributaries to supplement the meager income of the families of fishing communities.
Transport And Communication
The main means of transport are bicycles, motorcycles, Urvans, Metro Mass Transport and ‘can do’. The local GPRTU ply the major roads in the municipal to and from Kumasi and Techiman.
The municipal has been lucky to have Vodafone, AirtelTigo, and MTN networks in about 90% of the total land area and other vantage points.
Education
The municipal has all categories of Pre, basic and secondary schools evenly distributed throughout the communities. However, the municipal is putting much emphasis on the girl child education