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Overview of Grand-Lahou

The colonial city of Grand-Lahou is located on the coastal strip, in 1975 it was relocated on land 18 km from the lagoon and sea waters in order to increase opportunities for economic, social, demographic, marine, river, environmental, tourist, industrial, commercial and financial activities. The city is situated where Bandama river and the Gulf of Guinea meet. It sits along the Atlantic Ocean with a 70km coastline.

It is a cosmopolitan population composed of indigenous avikams, didas, Apollos, Baoule, Malinke and the nationals of West Africa and some Lebanese. The main activities of these populations revolve around fishing, agriculture, petty trading, transport and small trades.

History

Before being developed as a trading port by the French, the city was initially occupied by the Germans, British and Dutch. The current commune of Grand-lahou is the work of Arsene ASSOUAN Usher. Indeed, noticing the erosion that was eating away at the former Lahou commonly known as “Lahou-Plage”, he asked for and obtained 120,000 hectares of classified forest of Azagny to build the new city. This site is located 18 kilometers from the seafront. After obtaining the space, he had to appeal to his external relations including Chinese companies to build the city.