Ashanti region is located almost in the center of the country, with Kumasi as its capital. It occupies a total land surface of 24,389 km2 or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. According to the 2010 population and housing census, the region had a population of 4,780,380, making it the most populous region in Ghana.

The current population of the Region according to the 2021 population and housing census is 5,440, 463.  The population of the Males is 2,679,914 (49.3 %) and the females constitute 2,760,549 (50.7%).

It lies between longitudes 0.15W and 2.25 W, and latitudes 5.50N and 7.46N. The region shares boundaries with four of the 16 political regions; Brong Region in the North, Eastern Region in the east, Central Region in the south and Western Region in South West.

The region’s share of the national population increased from 16.5 per cent in 1960 to 17.3 per cent in 1970 but remained almost the same (17.0%) in 1984 before increasing to 19.4 % in 2010. The region’s population growth rate was 2.9 per cent per annum in 1970, dropped to 2.5 per cent per annum in 1984 and increased to 3.4 per cent in 2000, 1.3 times higher than the national average growth rate of 2.7 percent. The population growth rate of the region in 2000 is the second highest in the country, after the Greater Accra Region (4.4%). Although the region is the most populous, its density (148.1/sqkm) is lower than those of the Greater Accra region (895.5/sq km) and the Central region (162.2/sq km).

The Ashanti Region currently has a total of forty – three (43) administrative Districts, Municipals and Metropolitan with Kumasi as its Regional Capital. Out of the 43, there are eighteen (18) Municipals, one (1) Metropolitan and twenty four (24) Districts.

 ASHANTI REGIONAL PEACE COUNCIL (ARPC)

The Ashanti Regional Peace Council (ARPC) started with the establishment of the Regional Secretariat with two staff positions in September 2013, thus Regional Executive Secretary and Administration Manager. On the 1^st September, 2014 the Council was officially inaugurated with the 13 eminent Board Members as stipulated in Section 9 and 12 of the NPC, Act 2011 (Act 818). Prof. Seth Opuni Asiama was the elected Chairman for the first Council after its inauguration in 2014.

In accordance with Section 5 of the NPC, Act 2011 (Act 818), the first Council’s tenure ended in September 2018 and a new (second) governing Board was constituted and inaugurated on the 9^th November, 2018. The Chairman for the Second governing Board of the Council was Right Reverend Christopher Nyarko Andam. The Second Council’s tenure ended in September, 2022 and the Third governing Board (Council) was constituted and inaugurated on 8^th December, 2022  The new elected Chairman for the governing Board of the Council is Dr. Harriet Takyi. The 13 eminent Board Members of the Ashanti Regional Peace Council are as follows;

Catholic Bishops Conference (Fr. Dr. Anthony Frangtana Naah)

Christian Council  (Rev. Dr. Seth Frimpong Coleman)

The Ghana Pentecostal Council (Apostle Dr. Bright Bill Kwabla Sosu )

National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches (Bishop. Dr. Victor Osei)

Ahamadiyya Muslim Mission (Mr. Hakeem Baidoo)

Al-sunnah Muslims (Sheikh Mohammed Kamil Mohammed)

Tijaaniya Muslim Group (Ustaz Ahmed Seidu)

Practitioners of African Traditional Religion (Baffour Asabere Kogyawoasu Ababio III )

Two persons nominated by the Regional Co-ordinating Council one of whom is a woman

Right Reverend Dr. Nuh Ben Abubekr

Ms Margaret Boafo – Atiemo

Two other persons nominated by the identifiable groups

Esmeranda Manful (Dep’t of Sociology and Social work, KNUST)

Harriet Takyi (Women in Peace Building, Kumasi )

One representative of the Regional House of Chief

Baffour  Owusu  Bediako  (Domeabramanhene)

The ARPC since its establishment has successfully coordinated the resolution process and management of some conflicts which would have otherwise escalated into violent conflicts in the Region. These conflicts have been listed in the table below;