Thanks to their establishment of a lodge at Senya Beraku in 1667, the Dutch entered into a long-standing relationship with the Agona State. Its chief subsequently requested the Dutch to build a permanent fort at Beraku. The Dutch accepted the invitation because of the prospect of a trade boom in gold, ivory and slaves emanating from the Akyem kingdom located in the hinterland beyond Agona, and also because private traders were taking advantage of the absence of any Dutch forts in the area between Accra and Apam.

In 1705-06, as a preliminary stage prior to building a four-sided fort, the Dutch constructed a small triangular fort on a promontory located near a cove where there was a good landing beach. As the fort appealed to presage great expectations, the Dutch named it 'De Goede Hoop', meaning "Good Hope".