A primary school established in 1956 in Sokpayiri, a suburb of Wa in the Upper West Region, has been demolished to make way for a 24-hour economy market, ending months of public disagreement, legal action, and traditional mediation that had stalled the project.
The Tendamba Primary School was pulled down in the early hours of Saturday, June 13, 2026, after the Overlord of the Waala Traditional Area, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, successfully mediated an agreement between the disputing parties that cleared the way for construction to proceed.
Established in 1956, the school had produced notable personalities, including Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi, and represented both educational legacy and communal pride for many residents of Sokpayiri.
When the Wa Municipal Assembly earmarked it for demolition as part of land acquisition for the market project, a section of landlords and residents pushed back hard.
At a press conference in February, the opposing landlords described the proposed demolition as ill-conceived, criticised what they said was insufficient stakeholder engagement, and warned that removing the school risked undermining educational access and “shattering the dreams of many children” in the community.
Another group within the same family lineage, however, held a separate press conference to state that they had been duly consulted and had consented to the project.
This contradiction deepened tensions and delayed the handover of the site to contractors, even as other project sites across the country had already commenced work.
The impasse drew national attention. Local Government Minister Ahmed Ibrahim urged caution during a visit to the Wa Naa’s Palace, while President John Dramani Mahama clarified that he had not issued any directive for the demolition, stressing that the market initiative should be implemented at a location determined through local consensus.
How it was resolved
The Sokpayiri landlords took the matter to the Wa High Court, seeking an injunction to halt any demolition until the dispute was resolved.
The Overlord of the Waala Traditional Area, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, formally requested to mediate the dispute, and the High Court granted his request, allowing traditional authority-led arbitration to proceed.
After engagements with all parties, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV facilitated an agreement that resolved the longstanding concerns and paved the way for the demolition to proceed.
The exercise was carried out without reported incidents. Temporary classroom facilities have been put in place to ensure the continued education of the affected pupils, and the demolition is expected to accelerate preparatory works for the Wa Municipal component of the 24-hour economy market.
