More than 200 pupils have been displaced following the demolition of the 70-year-old Tindamba Primary School in Wa, Upper West Region, to make way for a new market project under the government’s 24-hour economy initiative.
According to reports, the school’s red-brick classroom blocks, which had served generations of children from Sokpayiri, Kabenya and Wa Zongo, were demolished in the early hours of June 13, 2026.
By sunrise, the historic school had been reduced to rubble, bringing an end to a legacy that spanned seven decades.
Among the school’s notable former students is Yonny Kulendi, the first person from the Upper West Region since 1876 to be appointed to Ghana’s Supreme Court.
The demolition follows a government directive encouraging Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to identify land for the construction of markets under the 24-hour economy programme. The Wa Municipal Assembly, together with some traditional authorities, selected the Tindamba Primary School site for the project.
The decision sparked strong opposition from community members and education stakeholders, with concerns raised about the impact on pupils and access to education.
During a visit to Wa in January 2026, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, reportedly opposed plans to demolish the school.
The project later became the subject of legal disputes between landowners and supporters of the market development. The matter was eventually settled out of court following the intervention of the Waala Overlord, clearing the way for construction to proceed.
As a result of the demolition, 214 pupils have been relocated to temporary classrooms at Tindamba Junior High School and Nuriya English and Arabic School.
The relocation has placed significant pressure on the host institutions, with some classes merged to accommodate the additional learners. Reports also indicate that two headteachers are now sharing a single office space.
Conditions at the temporary learning centres have raised concerns, with reports of inadequate sanitation facilities, overgrown toilets and limited access to hygienic amenities for pupils.
The disruption has also affected enrollment. School authorities indicate that student numbers have dropped from more than 400 pupils to 214, as some parents have withdrawn their children following the demolition and relocation.
Community members are now calling for urgent intervention to ensure affected pupils have access to proper learning facilities while construction of the market project moves forward.
