A heavy rainstorm has caused significant damage to parts of the Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly (KNWDA), ripping off roofs and rendering three key offices unusable.
The incident occurred at about 6 pm on Thursday, March 26, when most staff had already left the premises. At the time of the storm, only one officer remained at work, reportedly clearing his desk.
The officer quickly alerted a colleague residing in Paga, and together they returned to the office to salvage important documents and items from the affected areas to prevent further loss. No casualties were recorded.
The rainstorm severely impacted three offices—the District Coordinating Director’s office, the District Budget Analyst’s office, and the District Planning office—all of which have been rendered unusable due to the destruction.
Despite the damage, management has implemented interim measures to ensure that official work continues without major disruption, with affected staff temporarily relocated to other offices within the assembly.
Speaking in an interview, the District Chief Executive, Stephen Aeke Akurugo, described the incident as a disaster and appealed to government for urgent support to rehabilitate the damaged structure.
“The Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly suffered a severe rainstorm which removed a major part of the roofing of the assembly block,” he said. “These are disasters one cannot prevent.”
Mr. Akurugo noted that the situation could have been far worse if the incident had occurred during working hours, as many staff members would have been present in the affected offices.
“We thank God that it happened at a time when only one officer was around. If it had been during working hours, it could have affected many people,” he added.
He, however, pointed to the emotional toll the incident may have on staff, explaining that some officers returned to find their offices destroyed, with ceilings collapsed and workspaces left unusable.
“It is emotional trauma for staff who come expecting to work in comfort but find their offices in that condition,” he said.
The District Chief Executive revealed that the matter has been reported to the Upper East Regional Minister and that steps are being taken to engage the central government for urgent intervention.
He also disclosed that the assembly block had existing structural issues prior to the incident, with some outstanding works left incomplete despite the contractor having been fully paid.
“There were certain outstanding works that needed to be done. I will follow up with the central government to ensure rehabilitation and re-roofing of the structure, as well as the completion of the necessary works,” he assured.
Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) have also been notified, with the district office expected to assess the extent of damage and recommend further action.
The incident adds to growing concerns about the vulnerability of public infrastructure to extreme weather events, particularly in northern Ghana, where seasonal storms often cause widespread destruction.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah
