The following is a timeline events of the history of kpeshie. it encompasses information from the 16th century to the 21st century.
- 16th Century: The Ga people migrate from present-day Togo and settle in various parts of present-day Ghana, including the Accra plains.
- 17th Century:The Ga people establish the community of Kpeshie on the Accra plains.
- The Dutch construct Fort Crèvecoeur (later Ussher Fort) near Accra in present-day Osu, adjacent to Kpeshie. This fort is used to regulate the slave trade.
- European traders, initially Portuguese, begin to engage in trade with the Ga people, exchanging goods for gold and ivory.
- Colonial Period:Kpeshie becomes an important trading hub within the Gold Coast colony, incorporated under British administration.
- 1953: The Accra Council is created, and Kpeshie is established as one of six area councils within the Accra area.
- 1989: The Accra Council is elevated to Metropolitan status. The area councils, including Kpeshie, become metro district councils. Kpeshie is divided into the sub-metropolitan districts of Teshie, Nungua, and La.
- 2007: The Teshie and Nungua sub-metropolitan district councils are merged and upgraded to a Municipal Status, becoming the Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal District.
- 2012: Joseph Apau, Simon Kojo Appiah, and M. Marmon-Halm conduct a study on the water quality parameters of the Kpeshie Lagoon, noting its pollution due to industrial activities and refuse dumping.
- 2017: The Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal Assembly is split into the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly and the Krowor Municipal Assembly.
- August 7, 2020: A publication appears in the Ghanaian Times regarding an application to change the land use of a mangrove area near Kpeshie Lagoon from a protected coastal zone to a mixed-use development (residential and recreational).
- August 11, 2020: A petition is launched on Change.org by Teki Akuetteh, with the support of the Tse Addo (East La) community and Social & Scientific Research for Development (SSRD-Global), to halt the proposed land-use change and protect Kpeshie Lagoon.
- Ongoing:The Kpeshie Lagoon faces continual threats of pollution from municipal, industrial, and agricultural sources as well as development encroachments.
- The Ga people of Kpeshie continue to celebrate their cultural festivals, including Homowo, Ngmayem, Kpledjoo, Gbiɛ, Tejoo, and Akplekɛ. The Homowo festival, in particular, involves rituals like the sprinkling of kpoikpoi (a traditional maize dish) and is held annually in August.
Cast of Characters
- The Ga People: The indigenous group who migrated from present-day Togo in the 16th century and founded Kpeshie in the 17th century. They are primarily associated with the Greater Accra region. Their rich culture is expressed through various festivals and traditions.
- Portuguese Traders: The first Europeans to arrive in Ghana. They established trade relations with the Ga people in the 15th century, exchanging European goods for gold and ivory.
- Dutch Traders/Colonizers: They built Fort Crèvecœur (later Ussher Fort) in the 17th Century near Accra. They were heavily involved in the slave trade in the region.
- British Administrators: During the colonial period, they incorporated Kpeshie into the Gold Coast colony and oversaw its development as a trading hub.
- Joseph Apau: A researcher who, along with Simon Kojo Appiah and M. Marmon-Halm, conducted a study on the water quality parameters of the Kpeshie Lagoon in 2012. They highlighted the lagoon’s pollution problems and potential long term issues.
- Simon Kojo Appiah: Co-researcher on the 2012 study of the Kpeshie Lagoon’s water quality.
- M. Marmon-Halm: Co-researcher on the 2012 study of the Kpeshie Lagoon’s water quality.
- Teki Akuetteh: A resident of the Tse Addo (East La) Community and a petitioner who initiated the Change.org petition in 2020 to save the Kpeshie Lagoon from development.
- World Wildlife Fund: An international conservation organization that is mentioned as one of the decision-makers in the Change.org petition, targeted to save the Kpeshie Lagoon.
- Social & Scientific Research for Development (SSRD-Global): A research organisation that supported the Change.org petition to save the Kpeshie Lagoon, alongside residents of the Tse Addo community.
- The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation (Ghana): A target of the petition in its efforts to halt a specific development threatening the Kpeshie Lagoon.
- The Minister of Lands & Natural Resources (Ghana): A target of the petition in its efforts to halt a specific development threatening the Kpeshie Lagoon.
- Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana): A target of the petition in its efforts to halt a specific development threatening the Kpeshie Lagoon.
- La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly: A target of the petition in its efforts to halt a specific development threatening the Kpeshie Lagoon.
- Residents of the Tse Addo (East La) Community: Community group involved in the launch of the petition to save the Kpeshie Lagoon.
This detailed information should provide a good overview of the history, key events, and the main people involved with Kpeshie based on the sources you provided.