In the outskirts of Nakori, a community just outside Wa in Ghana’s Upper West Region, a sprawling expanse of land lies eerily idle.
Designated by the Wa Municipal Assembly as a dedicated “Wood Village” for sawmill operators and woodworkers, the site was meant to be a game-changer. Instead, it’s become a symbol of unfulfilled promise.
The assembly poured significant funds into preparing the area, drilling and mechanizing a borehole for water, installing electricity with a dedicated transformer, and even establishing an operational police post for security.
Yet till date the Wa Municipal Assembly can’t boast of getting any revenue after the wanton investment of scarce resources into the Nakori Wood Village project.
Back in 2024, eager sawmill operators-built sheds in anticipation of relocation. But fierce storms and relentless rains have since reduced those structures to ruins, leaving the village desolate.
A recent visit by Yiri News revealed overgrown weeds choking the site, with no signs of the bustling trade it was designed for.
“This was a very expensive venture,” former Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Issahaku Tahiru Moomen had said at the time, urging “all legitimate means” to ensure compliance.
That push included a March 2024 ultimatum for woodworkers to vacate Wa’s congested town center. It came and went without action.
Today, under current MCE Alhaji Nurah Issah Danwana, no new timelines or enforcement plans have been announced, leaving the investment’s returns in limbo.
Ironically, while sawmills remain stubbornly in place, Nakori is booming with other development. Commercial stores and filling stations are springing up, driving land values sky-high. Yiri News confirmed multiple construction projects underway, signaling the area’s growing appeal.
Relocating the sawmills would decongest the city, slashing noise pollution and dust clouds that plague daily life. For now, though, the Wood Village stands as a quiet reminder of good intentions gone awry – and a pressing question: When will the move happen?
