Six hours of heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms wreaked havoc across Sogakope, Sokpoe, and surrounding communities in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region, leaving more than two hundred residents displaced and causing property damage worth millions of Ghana Cedis. The downpour, which lasted from late Saturday night until dawn on Sunday, overwhelmed the area’s inadequate drainage systems and exposed long-standing issues of poor town planning.
A visit to the affected areas revealed that many structures had been built on waterways, while existing gutters were either too small or absent, worsening the flooding. Residents recounted harrowing experiences of relocating children in the middle of the night while trying to salvage food items and personal belongings. Some families have temporarily sought refuge with relatives and friends, fearing further rainfall could intensify the disaster.
This marks the most severe flooding in Sogakope in nearly six years, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations and improved urban planning. In Sokpoe and Kpotame, floodwaters collapsed walls and structures, leaving dozens homeless. In Sogakope itself, over one hundred residents were directly affected, many expressing shock at the scale of destruction, which they compared to the 2022 Akosombo and Kpong dam spillage disaster.
Victims such as Herbert Osei, Alberta Hoenyedza, Elizabeth Aheto, and Enam Kleme appealed to the District Assembly and government for urgent intervention. They emphasized the need for comprehensive drainage solutions and improvements to the town’s deteriorating road network, particularly the interior link roads, to reflect Sogakope’s status as a district capital.
In Sahokope, a suburb of Sogakope, residents have taken matters into their own hands. Through the Sahokope Residents’ Association (SRA), they have contributed nearly Ghc10,000 to purchase laterite soil and fuel for reshaping roads with the help of the District Road Improvement Project (DRIP) machines. According to community member Divine Sefenu, plans are underway to expand the project toward Alavanyo. The Headman of Sahokope, Togbe Saho Eric, appealed to the Assembly for additional support, stressing that the initiative was meant to complement government efforts and ensure the community’s development. He noted that creating access roads would not only improve planning but also transform Sahokope into a well-structured and attractive town within Sogakope.
This disaster has underscored the urgent need for coordinated action between local authorities and residents to address infrastructural challenges, enforce building regulations, and prepare communities for future climate-related events.
