Takoradi

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Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335,000 (2005), is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. It is Ghana's fourth largest city and an industrial and commercial center. The chief industries are timber, plywood, cigarettes, shipbuilding and railroad repair.<ref name=info>http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0844338.html Infoplease.com entry on Sekondi-Takoradi</ref> It lies on the main railway lines to Accra and Kumasi.

1 History
2 Education
3 Sister Cities
4 References
5 External links
6 See also

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History

Sekondi, older and larger, prospered from a railroad built in 1903 to hinterland mineral and timber resources. Takoradi has an important deepwater seaport, Ghana's first, built in 1928.<ref>http://www.ghanaports.gov.gh/GPHA/takoradi/index.html Port of Takoradi</ref> Both stemmed from 17th Century Dutch, Swedish and English forts.<ref name=info/> During World War II, Takoradi Air Base was an important staging point for British aircraft destined for Egypt.<ref>http://www.bibliovault.org/BV.book.epl?BookId=3985 Review of Soldiers Airmen Spies & Whisperers: Gold Coast In World War II</ref>

The cities combined in 1946.

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Education

Takoradi has a well-equipped technical training centre (Takoradi Technical Institute, TTI, 1,400 students in two shifts) assisted by the German Government through GTZ/GOPA.

Apart from TTI, Takoradi has a polytechnic and other renowned secondary schools including Ghana Secondary Technical School, Ahantaman Secondary School,Fijai Secondary School,Sekondi College,Adiembra Secondary School and many others. Takoradi is also a port city and has timber, energy, and technology industries. Over the years it has attracted a good number of investors, including miners as the city is close to the mining towns in the western part of Ghana.

It has a lot of beautiful beaches which also attracts tourists world wide.

Sekondi-Takoradi is a Sister City of Boston (Massachusetts, USA), Oakland (California, USA) and maintains a link with Plymouth (Devon, England).

Takoradi Technical Institute houses a Fab lab, equipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is the first of its kind in Africa.

Mercy Foundation International is an organization that works with vulnerable children and street children. It has recently opened an internet café and computer training center to encourage familiarity with computers and help them acquire computer skills.

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