The government has announced plans to demolish 16 structurally compromised buildings across the Greater Accra Region following the collapse of the Avenor building. A three-storey structure at Avenor in North Kaneshie claimed two lives and injured three others on Sunday.
Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, disclosed the development during a visit to the collapse site on Sunday, June 7, where emergency responders continued assessment and recovery efforts.
According to the Minister, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has identified the buildings as unsafe and unfit for habitation after inspections conducted across the region. Authorities have begun evacuating occupants from the affected structures ahead of their planned demolition.
“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,” Mr Muntaka stated.
He explained that the intervention is part of efforts to prevent avoidable disasters and protect residents from the growing threat posed by weakened, deteriorating structures.
“We are currently doing the evacuations, and they must bring all those buildings down. 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 added.
The announcement comes amid renewed concerns over building safety standards in urban communities, particularly in densely populated areas where ageing structures, poor maintenance practices, and non-compliance with building regulations continue to pose significant risks.
The Avenor building collapse has once again highlighted the need for stricter enforcement of construction standards, regular structural inspections, and stronger collaboration between regulatory agencies and property owners to ensure public safety.
Authorities say the planned demolitions are part of a broader strategy to reduce disaster risks and prevent future tragedies linked to unsafe buildings. Residents occupying structures identified as dangerous are expected to cooperate with evacuation directives as government agencies move to implement the exercise.
The latest measures signal a more proactive approach by authorities to address the threat of building collapses, which have periodically resulted in fatalities and property losses across the country.
By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang
