A violent rainstorm that swept through the Wa Municipality on the evening of Friday, April 18, has left extensive destruction in its wake, toppling electricity poles, damaging buildings, and plunging parts of the Upper West regional capital into darkness.

The storm, which lasted just under 20 minutes, brought down trees, tore off roofs, and rendered several areas impassable. One of the most affected sites was Dine in Delicacies, a well-known restaurant in the municipality, where a massive tree fell directly on the structure while it was still in operation.

According to the owner, Hajia Latifa Ibrahim Dodoo, nine people were inside when the tree crashed through the building. Although there was panic, no one was injured.

“Two fridges and other vital equipment were destroyed,” she told reporters, adding that only one person was briefly trapped but was later rescued without harm.

The rainstorm also knocked down electricity poles, notably affecting the SSNIT Residential Area, which has since been without power.

Educational institutions in the municipality weren’t spared either. At Naa Momory Technical and Vocational School, significant sections of the campus were hit. Vice Principal in charge of Academics, Hussein Yasir, described the impact as devastating.

“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.

With students set to return to campus shortly, Mr. Yasir appealed for urgent support.

“We are pleading with the Municipal Chief Executive, the Regional Minister, and the nation at large to come to our aid. We’re already struggling with infrastructure, and this disaster has made it worse,” he stated.

Responding to the situation, a team from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), led by Upper West Regional Director Maxwell Emmanuel, arrived to conduct a preliminary assessment. Emmanuel confirmed that prior notice had been given about the hazardous tree at Dine in Delicacies, but no action was taken before the disaster.

“We received a distress call that a tree had fallen on a restaurant. My team, under the instruction of the Regional Minister and in collaboration with the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, quickly moved to the scene. Unfortunately, a prior warning was not acted upon in time,” he explained.

He added that NADMO had received similar distress calls from other parts of the municipality. While his outfit plans to begin debris clearance with support from the Ghana National Fire Service, he admitted that the regional stores are currently empty.

“We’ll first mobilise support from local sources before reaching out to our national office. Once our assessment is complete, we will act swiftly to assist those affected,” he said.

At the scene of the damage was Wa’s newly confirmed Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Issah Nura Danwanaa, who had taken office only a day before. He described the incident as a difficult initiation into his new role.

“I was in a meeting receiving visitors when I was called about this disaster. I immediately contacted the Municipal Response Team and came here to assess the damage,” he noted.

He assured residents that the Assembly would take swift action.

“We will engage the fire service to help remove the debris and involve the police to secure the premises. After that, we’ll return to the office to plan further support,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, toured some of the affected communities and highlighted the broader implications of the storm.

“This storm has left many people homeless. Properties have been destroyed, electric poles broken, and roofs ripped off. Climate change is real, and we must begin to act differently,” he said.

He acknowledged NADMO’s logistical challenges but remained optimistic about efforts to strengthen disaster response in the region.