Builsa North is one of the constituencies represented in the Parliament of Ghana. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Builsa North is located in the Builsa district of the Upper East Region of Ghana.
Boundaries
The seat is located within the Builsa District in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
1.1 Background
The Builsa North District is one of the thirteen administrative districts in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The Builsa North District was carved out of the Builsa District on 15 March 2012 by an Act of Parliament, 1993 (Act 462) with Sandema as its administrative capital. The paramount aim of creating this Assembly is to bring the business of governance to the doorsteps of the ordinary Ghanaian. The Builsa North District has a total population of 56,477 with 98 communities.
1.2 Physical Features
1.2.1 Location and size
The district lies between longitudes 10 05‟West and 10 35‟ West and latitudes 100 20‟ North. The Builsa North District shares boundaries with Kassena–Nankana West District to the North, to the West with Sissala East District, to the East with Kassena–Nankana East Municipal and to the south with Builsa South District. The district covers an estimated land area of 816.44030 km2 .
1.2.2 Relief and drainage
The topography of the area is undulating and slopes ranging from 200 metres to 300 metres within the western and northern part of the district particularly around Bachonsa and Chuchuliga zones. In the valleys of Sissili, Kulpawn, Besibeli, Tono, Asibelika and the Azimzim, the slopes are gentler and range from 150 metres to 200 metres.
1.2.3 Climate
The district has mean monthly temperatures ranging between 21.90 C and 34.10 C. The highest temperatures are recorded in March and this can rise to 450 C, whereas the lowest temperatures are recorded in January. The dry season is characterized by dry Harmattan winds. There is only one rainy season, which builds up gradually from little rains in April to a maximum in August-September, and then declines sharply coming to a complete halt in midOctober when the dry season sets in.
1.2.4 Vegetation
The district is characterized by Savannah woodland and consists mostly of deciduous, widely spaced fire and drought resistant trees of varying sizes and density with dispersed perennial grasses and associated herbs. Through the activities of man, the woodland savannah has been reduced to open parkland where only trees of economic value like baobab, acacia, sheanut and the dawadawa have been retained with time.
1.2.5 Soil
The soils of Builsa North District are developed from different geological formations namely Granite, Birimian rocks, Voltaian shale, recent and old Alluvium of mixed origin and very old river terraces. Out of these, the dominant soil groups in the district are of granite origin and cover over 70 percent (approximately 153,300ha) of the district‟s land area.
1.3 Political Administration
The Builsa North District Assembly has a total membership of forty-five (45) assembly members which is made up of thirty-one (31) elected members, fourteen appointed members and ex-officio members comprising the Member of Parliament and the District Chief Executive. The present Assembly has six female members, four of whom are elected and the other two are appointed. There are two Town Councils and three Area Councils with 31 Electoral Areas in the Builsa North District. These are the Sandema Town Council, Wiaga Town Council, Siniensi Area Council, Kadema Area Council and Chuchuliga Area Council. Administratively, the District Assembly has the following departments in place which are functioning under the District Co-ordinating Director; Health Service Directorate, Ghana Education Service (GES), Department of Community Development, Birth and Deaths Registry, District Environmental Health Unit, Department of Agriculture. The following national agencies which do not form part of the departments of the Assembly are also in place; the National Service Secretariat, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Immigration Service, the CEPS, and the Police Service.