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Two deaths and 62 injuries were recorded in eight separate structural collapses in eight regions within the past four months.
Additionally, 62 others got trapped and rescued and taken to various medical facilities for treatment.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Timothy Osafo-Affum who disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday said the Greater Accra Region recorded three structural collapses between May 1 and May 9, 2023.
On May 1, 2023, an uncompleted three-storey building collapsed at SDA Junction near KPOGAS Furniture at Adentan in Accra where one person died and two construction workers suffered serious injuries.
The director stated that on May 4, an uncompleted three-storey building collapsed at Nanakromin the Adentan Municipality in Accra where one person died and another sustained injuries.
“Again, on May 9, 2023, a three-storey church building collapsed at old Bortianor in the Ga South Municipality in Accra where seven construction workers sustained injuries leaving one person in critical condition,” he added.
Furthermore, he explained that on February 15, March 1 and April 21, a storey building under construction at Ashongman Estate, a three-storey building at the Royal Gospel Junior High School at Sukura and a warehouse with an adjoining building at Taifa in Accra collapsed respectively.
ACFO Osafo-Affum said five construction workers suffered injuries in the Ashongman Estate incident, adding that no casualty was recorded in the Sukura incident, whereas two persons suffered injuries in the Taifa incident.
He said in the Ashanti Region, the dining hall of Ejuraman Senior High School in Ejura collapsed on a group of students trapping and injuring 45 of them, adding that the injured students were rescued and sent to the Ejura Government Hospital.
The director said on Saturday, May 6, a six-storey building under construction at the Tamale-UDS City Campus in the Northern Region also collapsed without recording any casualty.
He expressed worry about the management of the GNFS about the recent spate of structural collapses in the country.
“Management, therefore, wants full-scale investigations to be conducted into these avoidable recorded incidents by all relevant stakeholders in the building environment space (especially the Engineering Council) and recommendations implemented to help curb this worrying trend,” he added.
He called on land developers to desist from engaging the services of uncertified development practitioners, adding that“land developers must go through the appropriate processes of securing building or construction permits for their projects.”
He urged MMDAs to crack the whip on land developers who flout structural integrity and safety provision to prevent the worrying trend in the country.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
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