By Soyorkor Quarcoo Tichire
Nature presents us with an amazing variety of Waterfalls in Ghana and in Dodowa a town located in the Greater Accra Region, the district capital of Shai Osu-Doku District is the Chenku Waterfall, the only Waterfall in the Region. Chenku Waterfall is a tourist attraction and an outdoor recreation place situated deep in the Dodowa Forest, also in the Shai Osu-Doku District. Also known as the Wuruduwurudu Falls, this beautiful waterfall drops from a height of about 250 feet, running on stratified rocks into a cool, clean and clear pool. We’re taking you on a trip to the Chenku Waterfall on our Tour Ghana series.
It will take you about 45 minutes to trek from the Dodowa Junction to the Chenku Waterfall. The first tourist attraction site at the edge of the Dodowa Junction – to the left is the Dodowa Forest which was the battlefield of the Kantamanso war in 1826. On the right is the giant Baobab tree with bullet marks which the elders say existed long before the Kantamanso war. From oral history, after the Ga Dangmes defeated the Ashantis in the Dodowa Forest, the warlords fired the remaining bullets in their barreled guns into the tree and this is what accounted for the bullet marks. Their actions were a resolve never to go into war with any ethnic group or clan, due to the huge number of lives lost in the Kantamanso war.
Trekking to the Chenku Waterfall we passed by the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs which was built by Governor Guggisberg. Another interesting thing we came across was a piece of stone near the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs known as the Mystery Stone. It has some historical significance, but for now, we trek to Chenku.
Despite warnings from the Shai OsuDoku District Assembly on the buildings, various houses right in the forest are at different stages of completion.
Like most waterfalls and tourist sites, the road network to the Waterfall is a deterrent to visitors. Little is known about the Tsenku Waterfall due to the lack of proper maintenance of the sites and the road network to the location. This wooden bridge over a stream in the forest is in bad shape.
Some Okada riders have pitched camp in the forest to offer a ride, of course at a fee to those whose feet give up on them.
After about a 45 minute hike in the forest, you will behold the beautiful Tsenku Waterfall which drops from a height of about 250 feet, running on stratified rocks. It settles into a cool, clean and clear pool. The Chenku Waterfall is named after the Chenku god which is a god of love and the shrine is located in Obosomase in the Eastern Region.
Mr. King Otoo has been farming on a portion of land close to the Waterfall. He says this water travels into a stream in Madina and finally into the sea.
It is interesting to note that the trekking route of this Waterfall is from Obosomase.
The surrounding was once sacred and people were not allowed in on Wednesdays as it was the day that snakes are believed to come out of their hideouts.
Tourists pay GHC 10 to go to the Waterfall area yet nothing is seen from the revenue generated. The only sign of any addition to the natural fall is this makeshift hut which serves as a rest stop for the numerous tourists who do visit.
Water they say is life. Mr. Otoo says the water from this Waterfall serves as drinking water to many people in the area.
Others also use it for spiritual purposes, by relating to their ancestors.
For those who know this hidden waterfall, it serves as a venue for a lot of events including shooting of music videos.
Below is the video;
