A white missionary living at the foot of the Adaklu Mountain in the Volta Region has reportedly refused to vacate the area despite a government directive issued after a deadly mudslide declared the location a disaster zone.
According to reports, Reverend Jacob Reddekopp, who operates a private school near the mountain, has remained on the property nearly a month after the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, ordered all residents to leave the area for their safety.
The revelation was made by the Adaklu District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Desmond Sesi, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
The evacuation directive followed a devastating mudslide that struck Adaklu Helekpe on May 20, 2026, after more than four hours of heavy rainfall.
The disaster occurred on the 600-metre Adaklu Mountain, sending rocks, mud and debris crashing down the slope. At least five houses and several vehicles were buried during the incident, while two people sustained injuries and were later treated and discharged from the Ho Teaching Hospital.
Following an inspection of the affected area, Regional Minister James Gunu declared the mountain a disaster and security zone, warning that the area remained unsafe.
“We cannot guarantee the safety of anybody going there, so the mountain has been declared a security zone and should be condemned,” he stated.
According to NADMO officials, Rev. Reddekopp’s private school was temporarily shut down after the disaster. However, the missionary has reportedly remained on the premises.
Desmond Sesi explained that Rev. Reddekopp has indicated that he is unsure where he and those under his care would relocate if they left the area.
“He says he does not know where to move to after vacating the place,” Sesi said.
Authorities have since intensified efforts to persuade him to relocate to a safer location.
The Adaklu District Chief Executive, Jerry Ameko, who chairs the District Security Committee, is reportedly working with the District Education Directorate and NADMO to relocate pupils affected by the closure of the school to ensure their education is not disrupted.
Officials and community leaders have also held meetings with Rev. Reddekopp to impress upon him the need to leave the area.
“We are doing everything in our power to enforce the directive by the Regional Minister and ensure that Rev. Reddekopp moves from the disaster zone,” Sesi stated.
During a visit to the affected community, Roads and Highways Minister and Adaklu MP, Kwame Governs Agbodza, cautioned residents against activities that contribute to landslides.
He noted that while natural disasters can occur, practices such as indiscriminate tree felling and the destruction of vegetation on mountain slopes significantly increase the risk of such incidents.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as efforts to evacuate all occupants from the disaster zone intensify. The May 2026 mudslide is reported to be the second such incident to occur in the area.
