A building under construction at Roman Ridge in Accra had its support structures collapsed, injuring 14 male workers who were on site. The structure, reportedly being undertaken by reputable building company, caved in around 12:18 p.m. on Tuesday between a ten-storey apartment block and the Ghana Institute of Engineering. The injured were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital and Ridge Hospital.Most of the injured were discharged after treatment.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ayawaso West, Dr. Michael Mensah, has stated that a preliminary report on the cause of the collapse was expected by midday yesterday. According to him, the investigation would determine whether the contractors followed standard building procedures, especially regarding the use of support structures during concrete casting.
He rightly pointed out that when props or supports are not properly checked, incidents like this are inevitable. Dr. Michael Mensah also assured that the findings would be made public to ensure transparency and accountability.
However, as at the time of writing this editorial, the promised report has not been released. The MCE must stand by his words and ensure that the findings are made available without delay. The public deserves to know what went wrong and who should be held accountable. Transparency is not optional in a matter involving public safety and potential loss of life.
There has been a disturbing reality in Ghana’s construction industry which has seen a culture of haste, negligence and disregard for safety standards. While The Chronicle awaits the Roman Ridge incident report, it is worrying that too many developers and contractors rush to complete buildings without following the proper processes that guarantee the safety of workers. Corners are cut, substandard materials are used and supervision is often weak or non-existent.
There have been reports of shoddy work where the consequences have been catastrophic. Families have been buried under rubble, offices destroyed and lives lost, all because someone was in a hurry to finish a project. The fact that these occurrences are predominant sends a strong message about the poor standards and lack of caution plaguing the sector.
Across the country, tragedies have occurred, each exposing the same systemic failures, poor supervision and disregard for engineering advice. Yet, the pattern repeats itself – investigations are launched, promises made and soon forgotten,until the next building falls again.
This must stop and the law must bite. The Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly must ensure that every individual or entity found culpable faces appropriate sanctions. Contractors who ignore safety standards, engineers who approve defective designs and municipal officers who look the other way must be punished. That is the only way to deter others from such reckless practices.
Beyond punishment, a culture of strict compliance and proactive supervision must be enforced. Authorities should conduct regular inspections on all major construction projects and halt any that do not meet safety standards.
The Engineering Council, Ghana Institution of Engineers and NADMO should collaborate to strengthen monitoring and enforce building regulations.
The Roman Ridge incident should not be treated as another routine one. It should serve as a national wake-up call. Ghana cannot continue to build on weak foundations, both literally and figuratively.
We urge Dr. Michael Mensah to make public the report as promised and ensure that justice is served. Accountability must not end in words. Those responsible must face the law and reforms must follow. Only then can we prevent future tragedies and rebuild public confidence in the safety of our buildings.
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