In the span of one week, three multi-story buildings have fallen in three distinct locations, raising major questions about the strictness of the construction codes, the oversight of overseeing agencies, and the adherence to safety best practices by contractors.
The Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) has demanded that a geological survey be made a requirement for the country's issuing of building licenses.
Therefore, it was pushing for a strong partnership with the metropolitan, municipal, and district legislatures to implement this demand before such projects could begin construction, especially for public buildings and multistory buildings.
Isaac Kuuwan Mwinbele, the Director-General of GGSA, explained to participants at a sensitization event in Kumasi that this was done to safeguard the security of the buildings and the individuals that would be utilizing them.
Depending on the nature of the land, Mr. Mwinbele claimed that incorporating the Geological Survey Authority early on in the process of awarding building licenses would assist in directing the assembly and the contractors on the preventative measures to be put in place to avert a tragedy.
This was due to the fact that not all lands were suitable for the placement of certain constructions, and as a result, the owners and assemblies would need to consult the relevant authorities in the issuance of building licenses.
The Ghana Highway Authority and the Ministry of Roads and Highways had already been offered this service by the authority, he claimed, and he thought that it was now appropriate for the housing industry to gain from this service as well.
On Saturday, a six-story structure under construction at the Tamale City Campus of the University for Development Studies collapsed.
According to reports, the event happened after a downpour.
Also on Thursday, a three-story structure collapsed at Nanakrom in the Adentan Municipality of Accra, trapping one person behind the debris, where they apparently perished.
A three-story structure that was under construction at SDA Junction on the Adentan side of La-Nkwantanang Madina collapsed just four days prior.
One individual lost their life in that tragedy, while three others suffered injuries.
The three-story building's manager was subsequently detained by police and eventually released on bail, while Municipal Chief Jennifer Agyabeng, an executive representing La-Nkwantanang Madina, oversaw the removal of the contractors' equipment once it became clear that the project lacked permission.
A preliminary examination by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) revealed that the three-story building's collapse was caused by a concrete mixer colliding with one of its pillars, which caused the structure to lose equilibrium.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0