A devastating rainstorm has left parts of the Wa Municipality in the Upper West Region, after it tore through the area on the evening of Friday (18 April 2025), damaging properties and plunging several communities into darkness.
The violent storm ripped off roofs, uprooted trees, knocked down electricity poles and left a trail of destruction across the municipality.
Among the worst-hit facilities was a popular local restaurant, Dine in Delicacies, which sustained significant damage after a large tree crashed onto the building. At the time of the incident, the restaurant was in operation with nine people inside.
The owner, Hajia Latifa Ibrahim Dodoo, who was at the scene, said the impact caused panic among patrons. One person was briefly trapped but was later rescued unhurt.
“Two fridges and other essential equipment were destroyed,” she said.
The storm also caused widespread power outages after it brought down several electricity poles. One of the worst-affected areas is the SSNIT Residential Area, which has been left without electricity.
Institutions were not spared either. At Naa Momory Technical and Vocational School, the vice-principal in charge of academics, Hussein Yasir, described the destruction as severe.
“It lasted about 15 to 16 minutes, but the destruction was heavy. Our fashion department, ICT block, HOD offices and parts of the dormitory have all been ripped off,” he said.
He appealed for urgent support, especially as students are expected to return to school within days.
“We are pleading with the Municipal Chief Executive, the Regional Minister and the nation to come to our aid. We were already struggling with infrastructure, and this disaster has made things worse,” he stated.
Officials from the Upper West Regional office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), led by regional director Maxwell Emmanuel, visited the affected areas to assess the extent of the damage.
Emmanuel revealed that NADMO had received a prior warning about the risk posed by the tree that collapsed on the restaurant, but no action was taken in time.
“We received a letter earlier indicating that the tree posed a danger and needed to be cut down. Unfortunately, the necessary action wasn’t taken before the incident occurred,” he said.
He added that NADMO had received distress calls from other parts of the municipality and would be working with the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to clear debris and conduct a full assessment to guide relief efforts.
However, he admitted that NADMO’s regional stores had no relief supplies available for immediate distribution.
“We’ll begin by mobilising support locally before reaching out to the national office. Once our assessment is complete, we will act swiftly to assist those affected,” he said.
Also at the scene was the newly confirmed Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Issah Nura Danwanaa, who described the event as his “baptism of fire”, having been confirmed only a day earlier.
“I was in a meeting receiving visitors when I was called about the disaster. I immediately contacted the Municipal Response Team and came here to assess the damage,” he said.
He assured residents of immediate support from the assembly. “We will engage the Fire Service to help clear the debris and collaborate with the police to secure the premises. After that, we’ll return to the office to plan further interventions,” he added.
Source | Asaaseradio.com
