By Peter Agengre
A devastating rainstorm has swept through the Bongo District in the Upper East Region, leaving over 3,000 people severely affected and displacing numerous residents. The storm, which also damaged schools, injured two people, destroyed buildings, uprooted trees, and knocked down electricity poles.
Monday’s disaster has left many peasant farmers homeless, forcing them to seek shelter with friends and family. Schools and health facilities were also severely damaged, disrupting education and healthcare services in the area. District Education Director John Ankoh described the impact as “devastating.”
“The extent of this storm is going to disrupt academic activities. Some students will have to sit under trees for teaching and learning to continue. We have also arranged to use the Pentecost Church for classes, while another class will be held at the weighing center. The devastating nature of the rainstorm is deeply concerning,” Mr. Ankoh explained.
Member of Parliament for Bongo, Lawyer Charles Bawaduah, assessed the damage after the storm, reporting severe destruction:
350 houses in Beo/Adaboya
120 houses in Balungo
48 houses in Tadongo
Over 400 schoolchildren lost their belongings and are now homeless
Alarmingly, almost every school building in the area sustained damage, prompting concerns from Lawyer Bawaduah.
“In some schools, roofs were completely torn off, zinc sheets were destroyed, and wooden structures were broken beyond repair. Nothing can be salvaged. The bigger concern is that until these structures are repaired, schoolchildren will have nowhere to sit and study,” he lamented.
Even electricity poles were not spared, worsening the crisis.
The MP is calling on institutions, NGOs, and corporate bodies to support rebuilding efforts, emphasizing the urgent need to restore normalcy to the affected communities.
“I urge the Volta River Authority/Northern Electricity Distribution Company to restore power to these communities immediately. I also appeal to the government and other institutions to help rebuild the damaged schools so children can return to their classrooms. This situation is alarming and demands urgent intervention.”
Pupils from affected schools, including Tankoo Primary, Awaa Primary, and Anafobisi Primary, eagerly await a swift response to restore their learning environments.
Meanwhile, two people, including a Junior High School student, sustained injuries but have since received treatment and been discharged.
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