The government has ordered the demolition of 16 structurally unsafe buildings across the Greater Accra Region following two building collapses within a week that claimed four lives and injured several others.
Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak announced the move during a visit to the site of Sunday’s building collapse at Avenor in North Kaneshie, where two people died after a three-storey structure under construction caved in following heavy rainfall.
According to the minister, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has already identified the buildings and begun processes to evacuate occupants before demolition works commence.
“Currently, NADMO has identified about 16 buildings within the Greater Accra Region that have to come down. We are going to ensure that, coming into the week, they will go and get all those buildings down.
“We are currently doing the evacuations, and they must bring all those buildings down. I mean, some things are natural, and God will take care of the supernatural, but for the natural ones, we have to take care of them,” he said.
Muntaka explained that the exercise forms part of broader efforts to prevent avoidable disasters and ensure that unsafe structures do not become death traps for residents.
North Kaneshie Collapse Leaves Two Dead
The latest tragedy occurred on Sunday at Avenor in North Kaneshie when a three-storey building under construction collapsed after an early-morning rainfall, trapping several people beneath the rubble.
Emergency personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, NADMO and other security agencies were deployed to the scene to rescue victims and search for anyone still trapped.
Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey said that the rescue teams had ended their operation, with two people rescued, while two others lost their lives. He later confirmed that one of the rescued victims died subsequently.
The building, located opposite the Ashfoam showroom and near Melcom Plus, was reportedly intended for residential use, with commercial shops planned for the ground floor.
Adenta Tragedy Raised Alarm Days Earlier
The North Kaneshie incident came only days after another building collapse at Adenta Newsite during heavy rainfall.
The one-storey structure, located near Da Yesu Ase Supermarket, trapped five occupants when it collapsed on Wednesday evening.
Four people were rescued and transported to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment. However, 35-year-old Margaret Kpeli was later retrieved from the rubble and pronounced dead.
The incident prompted Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo to direct that buildings across the capital undergo structural audits to assess their safety.
Growing Concerns Over Building Safety
The two collapses have intensified concerns about building standards, construction supervision and compliance with approved regulations in rapidly developing parts of Accra.
While investigations are expected to establish the exact causes of both incidents, attention has already turned to issues such as structural integrity, engineering oversight and the impact of extreme weather on vulnerable buildings.
Building collapses have periodically occurred in Ghana, often leading to renewed calls for stricter inspections and tougher enforcement against unauthorised or substandard construction.
What Happens Next?
Authorities say demolition of the identified buildings will help reduce the risk posed by unsafe structures and prevent future tragedies.
At the same time, planned structural audits across the capital are expected to identify additional buildings that may require urgent intervention.
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