Floods Wash Away Road in Sissala East, Blocking Access to 15,000 Hectares of Farmland
Municipal Chief Executive confirms massive disruption to farming activities after torrential rains
- Torrential rains wash away road linking key farming communities
- Over 15,000 hectares of farmland now inaccessible
- Farming and fertiliser delivery disrupted at peak season
A devastating flood in the Upper West Region’s Sissala East Municipality has destroyed a major access road, isolating over 15,000 hectares of farmland and triggering a severe agricultural and economic crisis.
The destruction occurred after heavy overnight rains washed away a critical stretch of road at Piribuga, located between Tumu and Kasana.
The road is a vital route not only for local farmers but also for cross-border trade along the Trans-ECOWAS corridor linking Ghana to Burkina Faso and Togo.
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Adamu Yakubu, who visited the site on August 4, expressed concern about the stalled farming activities, including the halted transportation of fertilisers and inputs.
“This is a big challenge. Fertiliser trucks can’t move forward. Over 15,000 hectares of farmland are now out of reach,” he said.
With peak fertiliser application season underway, farmers are facing dire consequences. Many are resorting to makeshift transport systems—offloading fertiliser at the damaged road, then reloading it onto motorbikes to reach their farms, adding cost and delay.
As an immediate response, the Municipal Assembly is deploying temporary interventions like drip equipment and tipper trucks to help restore limited access. But Yakubu admitted these are stopgap measures.
The regional authorities have also stepped in. Representing the Upper West Regional Minister, Regional Coordinating Director Pognaa Fati Koree confirmed that a crucial bridge linking nine farming communities was also washed away.
Assembly Member Ibrahim Moro warned that the timing couldn’t be worse.
“August is peak fertiliser application period. Every day, farmers gather here hoping for a way forward,” he said.
The MCE has promised urgent action and called on the public to remain cautious around the collapsed section, as no road signs or barriers have been installed yet.
