| Official Name: | Akwidaa |
| Other Name: |
|
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Ghana |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Akwidaa in Western Region, Ghana |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Ghana |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Western Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Ahanta West District |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Demonym |
| Population Blank2: | Akwidan |
| Timezone: | Greenwich Mean Time |
| Utc Offset: | +0 |
| Timezone Dst: | GMT |
| Coordinates: | 4.75°N -3°W |
| Postal Code Type: | postal code |
| Postal Code: | WH |
Akwidaa is a small town and fishing village in Ahanta West district, Western Region of Ghana. It is one of the southernmost places in Ghana.[1] [2]
The part of town near the Gulf of Guinea, known as Akiwidaa Old Town, suffers from flooding and erosion as a result of climate change. This is due to its location in a low-lying area adjacent to a wetland and river mouth. This resulted in most of the residents evacuating inland, which would become Akiwidaa New Town.[3]
Akwidaa is a Twi word meaning 'old man'. It is believe to be named after a man who transported people over the Ezile River during Dutch colonial times. The town was originally named after the river.[2]
The town have been settled for centuries by the Ahanta people.[2]
In the late 17th and early 18th Century, Akwidaa, then known as Fort Dorothea, was the smaller of the two forts which constituted a German colony, the Brandenburger Gold Coast. After being captured by the Dutch, they occupied the fort from 1687 to 1698 from whom the Brandenburgers sold it in 1718.[4] [5] [6] The ruins of the fort were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 along with other forts in the region.[7]
The economy is primarily based upon fishing, with many fishing boats lining the shoreline. Agriculture is also a major sector in the town.[3] It is a tourist spot in the region, being the location of many popular beaches.
With the discovery of oil in the district, Akwidaa have been a point of interest for investment.[3]