The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has stated that non-compliance with safety directives was a major factor in the collapse of a three-storey uncompleted building at Accra New Town on Sunday, which claimed three lives and left 20 others injured.
NADMO said the structure had already been declared unsafe by the municipal assembly weeks before the incident, but some individuals defied warnings and continued to access the facility.
In an exclusive interview with The Ghanaian Times yesterday, the Director-General of NADMO, Major (Rtd) Dr Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, said the tragedy could have been avoided if directives issued by authorities had been strictly observed.
“It was not safe, and people were clearly advised not to go in, yet that directive was ignored. That is what has brought us to this unfortunate situation,” he said.
He stressed that while Ghana has adequate regulations governing building safety, persistent challenges remain in enforcement and public compliance.
“The laws are there, but are we willing to comply? Sometimes people are aware, yet they still go ahead to disregard the rules because they feel nothing will happen,” he added.
Major (Rtd) Dr Kuyon also pointed to delays in securing the site as a contributing factor, explaining that although procedures require police support to restrict access to dangerous structures, coordination challenges slowed the process.
“If the coordination had been swift, the building might still have collapsed, but no one would have been inside,” he noted.
Providing an update on the rescue operation, he said NADMO and other emergency responders were able to evacuate all 23 persons trapped under the rubble within three to four hours, thanks to effective collaboration.
Of the 23 victims, three died—a male and two females—while 20 were rescued and sent to various medical facilities across the capital.
He disclosed that five of the injured have since been treated and discharged, while seven are receiving care at the Police Hospital, another seven at the 37 Military Hospital, and one at the University Hospital, all of whom are responding to treatment.
Major (Rtd) Dr Kuyon noted that the rescue phase of the operation had been completed and authorities had moved to the recovery stage, which involves clearing debris from the site.
Furthermore, he assured that NADMO, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, would intensify routine inspections and enforcement efforts to prevent similar occurrences and safeguard lives and property.
The collapse occurred at a building on the premises of the Accra New Town Experimental Basic School, which also serves as a place of worship for Christians.
Rescue operations intensified overnight, with emergency personnel working in a race against time to find trapped survivors under the rubble.
Teams from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, NADMO, and National Ambulance Service were all dispatched to the scene.
The incident followed a heavy rainstorm on Sunday. Early responders, including local residents and bystanders, used basic tools and their bare hands to pull victims from the debris before the arrival of official rescue teams.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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