Residents in the Gusheigu Municipality of Ghana’s Northern Region are grappling with the aftermath of a devastating windstorm that swept through more than 20 communities, destroying homes and leaving critical school infrastructure in ruins.
Among the hardest-hit institutions are Gusheigu Senior High School, Digbla Primary School, Zinnindo Basic School, and the Gusheigu Nursing and Midwifery Training College.
Several of these schools have had their roofs ripped off, exposing classrooms and administrative blocks to harsh weather conditions.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Alhassan Tampuli, toured affected communities to assess the extent of the destruction.
According to him, the storm struck late Wednesday night, initially believed to be limited in scope but later found to be widespread.
“I got reports between 9 and 10 p.m. on Wednesday that there was a windstorm here in the municipality. Initially, I thought it was just one or a few communities, but it turns out that about 20 communities have been affected, with over 250 properties destroyed,” he said.
While homes have been impacted, the MP stressed that the destruction of school facilities remains the most urgent concern.
“What is even more important is the effect it has had on educational institutions. Some of the school blocks have lost their roofs entirely, and in some cases, even the block work has collapsed,” he added.
Communities including Limo, Zinnidoo, Gaa and 4 others are among those affected, with many school buildings either partially or completely destroyed.
Although basic schools are currently on vacation, authorities say there is a limited window to undertake emergency repairs before classes resume. However, students in affected senior high and nursing training institutions are already facing disruptions.
At Gusheigu Senior High School, academic work is ongoing under difficult conditions. Headmaster Imoro Salifu says only final-year students are currently on campus, but learning has been severely affected.
“For now, we are managing because only the SHS 3 students are on campus, but academic work is ongoing under very difficult conditions. Some students are being taught under trees because parts of the school, including the administration block, have been ripped off,” he explained.
To support recovery efforts, the MP has pledged immediate assistance, including 500 bags of cement and 100 packets of roofing sheets.
He is also appealing to corporate organisations and well-meaning Ghanaians to support reconstruction efforts, as the Municipal Assembly struggles with limited resources.
Beyond immediate relief, the MP is urging communities and school authorities to adopt preventive measures, particularly planting trees around school compounds to serve as natural windbreaks.
“Where you find trees around, the impact is minimal. Some trees even withstood the pressure. But where schools are exposed, the damage is severe,” he noted.
“We cannot run away from nature, but we can create buffers. Otherwise, our children will end up learning under trees, which is not desirable,” he added.
For now, attention remains focused on restoring damaged school infrastructure to ensure students can return to safe and conducive learning environments.
