Infrastructure Challenges and Recoveries: Storm Hits Volo SHS as Power is Restored in Afram Plains

Recent developments across Ghana’s regions have highlighted the vulnerability of local infrastructure to both natural disasters and technical failures. In the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, residents and educational authorities are grappling with the aftermath of a severe rainstorm that caused significant damage to the Volo Community Day Senior High School. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Region, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has successfully resolved a major power crisis in the Afram Plains after a challenging repair operation on a damaged marine cable submerged in the River Afram.

The situation in Volo is particularly pressing as the community prepares for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), scheduled to begin on May 4. A brief but intense rainstorm on April 28, 2026, lasting less than twenty minutes, ripped off large sections of the school’s roofing and caused extensive flooding in administrative offices, including the bursar’s office. Assembly Member Anthony Menuah has issued an urgent plea for assistance, noting that the school serves as a vital examination center for several surrounding communities. Although some students have been relocated to temporary shelters and officials are assessing the damage, the disruption threatens the academic stability of final-year students during this critical period.

In a separate but equally significant infrastructure effort, the ECG has restored electricity to the Donkorkrom District and surrounding areas in the Afram Plains. The outage, which was reported in 2023, was traced to a fault in a marine cable located 400 meters into the River Afram. The repair process was fraught with logistical difficulties; at one point, a specialized Cable Test Van became immobilized in a swampy area near the riverbank. Dr. Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, ECG’s General Manager for External Communications, credited the successful restoration to a practical recovery strategy that involved the use of boats, the construction of a temporary wharf, and the invaluable assistance of local community divers.

These incidents underscore the critical need for resilient infrastructure and rapid response mechanisms in Ghana's rural and peri-urban districts. Whether responding to the unpredictable violence of a rainstorm in North Tongu or the technical complexities of underwater power lines in the Afram Plains, the coordination between state agencies, local leaders, and community members remains essential. As Volo SHS awaits emergency repairs to secure its status as an exam center, the successful restoration of power in Afram Plains stands as a testament to the effectiveness of community-supported technical interventions in the face of infrastructure failure.