A 23-year-old hairdressing apprentice, Hajia Hawa, drowned on Friday, May 22, 2026, after slipping into a large drain near the Swedru Mandela Market, in the Central Region, during a heavy downpour.
Hawa, the youngest child in her family, was swept away by the fast-moving floodwaters and remains missing despite a frantic three-day search by the Swedru Asafo Company.
Her senior sister, Hadiya Mustapha, told the Ghana News Agency that Hawa was on an errand to buy wigs from a supermarket near the Mandela Market when the incident occurred.
She said the matter was reported to opinion leaders in the community, who quickly organised a search party to retrieve her sister, but all efforts had so far proved unsuccessful.
It is suspected that Hawa was swept into the Akora River, which overflowed its banks during the downpour.
Mrs Mustapha expressed gratitude to the search team and members of the community for their support and solidarity throughout the intensive three-day search.
