The Population of the District according to the Population and Housing Census (2010), stood at 60,039 representing 2.4% of the Regional figure of 2,479,461. Per our projection at 2019 with a growth rate of 2.0%, the District Population is 71,752 with about 50.4% Females and 49.6% Males. The District has a Rural Population of 81.4% and 18.6% of Urban Population.
The District is predominantly made up of two dominant ethnic groups of Bassares and Konkombas. Other ethnic groups are the Dagombas, Kotokolis and Fulani. The District has one paramount Basare chief based in Tatale with other divisional chiefs spread over the District. The District is dominantly Christian and traditional religion with a significant minority of Muslims. The Dagombas in the District celebrate the Damba, Fire and Eid festivals, whiles the Bassares and Konkombas celebrate the yam and Christmas festivals.
The District experiences two main seasons during the year – the dry and the raining seasons. The dry season starts from late October to early May. Farming activities noted for this period are: harvesting of rice, cassava, Yam, drying of foodstuffs, preparation of farmlands and raising of yam mounds. This season is also noted for hunting and burning of bushes for game.
The vegetation of the District is guinea savannah, though some areas in the southern aspect fall within the transitional zone. Economic trees such as Dawadawa, Teak, Kapok and Mango can be found. There are also tall grasses, shrubs, and thorny species. The natural vegetation in most parts of the District especially, around settlements has disappeared due to over cultivation, overgrazing by animals, over exploitation for fuel wood without replacement. Farming (crop and livestock) is the mainstay of the people.
In pursuance of section 46 sub-section1 of the Local Government Act, 1993, Act 462 establishes the Tatale-Saguli District Assembly as the highest political and administrative authority at the district level that has been charged with the responsibility of formulating and executing plans, programmes and strategies for effective mobilization of resources to ensure the overall development of the district.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Country’s economy and the situation is not difference for Tatale-Sanguli District. Agriculture plays a vital role in the Socio-economic development of the District. The key agricultural sub-sectors include crops, livestock, fisheries, agro forestry and non-traditional commodities. About 93.9% of all households in the District practice one form of agriculture or the other. Out of the total Population 98.8% are into crop farming.
Human settlements in most parts of the District are built with mud and roofed with thatch. A small proportion of the mud houses are plastered with cement. These buildings roofed with 2” x 2” Wawa roofing boards, which are not also solignumed are highly susceptible to rain storm, strong wind hazards and also insect attack. These settlements are not also planned, as a result no drainage systems within communities. Zabzugu and Tatale with population of 12,278 and 7,182 respectively are the only urban areas in the District.
The District is currently without Physical Planning Officer and collaborating land sector agencies that are suppose to direct and control development of infrastructure in the District. Poor physical development planning and control in the District has resulted in chaotic physical development leading to incompatible land uses. Public use areas are encroached upon, land litigation is not uncommon, and houses are constructed in some locations without regard for building regulations. The situation isn’t different between the District Capital and rural communities where development control seems to be completely lacking.
Though sanitation is an important variable in improving the health of people, generally sanitary condition in the district is not as expected. An efficient and hygienic method of human waste disposal available in a dwelling unit is a critical indicator of the sanitary condition of the unit and is an indirect measure of the socio- economic status of a household and the district at large.
