Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly

The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) is the local government authority governing Ghana's third-largest city and the capital of the Western Region. It administers the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi, which together form a major industrial and commercial hub centered around Ghana's premier Takoradi Harbour and the oil and gas industry. The Assembly provides essential municipal services including waste management, urban planning, revenue mobilization, and infrastructure development for over 500,000 residents.

Sekondi-Takoradi was elevated to Metropolitan status in 2004, recognizing its strategic importance as Ghana's oil city and industrial heartland. The twin cities have distinct colonial histories: Sekondi developed as an early European trading post and railway terminus in the late 1800s, while Takoradi grew rapidly after the construction of its deep-water harbour in 1928, which transformed it into West Africa's first purpose-built modern port. The merger of the two municipalities reflects their economic interdependence and shared growth trajectory.

• STMA is headquartered in Takoradi and oversees the administration of both Sekondi and Takoradi, including their historic central business districts
• The metropolis is Ghana's oil and gas capital, hosting the Western Naval Command and serving as the operational base for offshore petroleum activities
• Takoradi Harbour, under the Assembly's jurisdiction area, is one of Ghana's two main seaports and handles significant cargo including manganese, bauxite, and cocoa exports
• The Assembly operates Takoradi Market Circle, one of West Africa's largest open-air markets, and manages the historic European Fort Orange in Sekondi
• STMA implements the government's decentralization policy through sub-metropolitan councils and has been at the forefront of urban renewal projects including the Takoradi Mall development and coastal rehabilitation