A 23-year-old hairdressing apprentice, Hajia Hawa, tragically drowned on Friday, May 22, 2026, after she slipped into a large drain near the Swedru Mandela Market in the Central Region during a heavy rainstorm.
Hawa, the youngest child in her family, was carried away by the rapidly flowing floodwaters and remains unaccounted for despite an urgent three-day search conducted by the Swedru Asafo Company.
Her elder sister, Hadiya Mustapha, in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report from the Ghana News Agency, said that Hawa was running an errand to purchase wigs from a supermarket near the Mandela Market when the unfortunate incident occurred.
She indicated that the situation was reported to community leaders, who promptly organised a search party to locate her sister, but all attempts thus far have been in vain.
It is believed that Hawa was swept into the Akora River, which overflowed its banks during the heavy rainfall.
Mrs. Mustapha expressed her gratitude to the search team and community members for their unwavering support and solidarity throughout the rigorous three-day search.
