Engineering Practitioner at Associated Consultants Limited, Ing. Kwabena Bempong, has cautioned that Ghana risks devastating consequences if a major earthquake strikes, unless building regulations are strictly enforced and construction standards are adhered to.
According to him, while Ghana has experienced several earth tremors and earthquakes over the years, the country’s biggest challenge is whether its buildings can withstand a stronger seismic event, without collapsing and claiming lives.
“If we were to experience an earthquake of about 7.0 on the Richter scale today, will our buildings hold?” he asked.
Ing. Bempong made the remarks on Tuesday at MC-Bauchemie Ghana Limited’s 10th Anniversary Symposium, held under the theme: “From Concrete Time Bombs to Building Century-Ready Cities; Navigating Structural Safety, Accountability and Climate Resilience in Ghana’s Built Environment.”
The symposium was broadcast live on Accra-based Citi FM and monitored by The Chronicle.
He recalled that Ghana’s most devastating earthquake occurred in 1939, measuring about 6.9 on the Richter scale and stressed that the country cannot afford to ignore lessons from its seismic history.
The structural engineer explained that engineers do not design buildings to stop earthquakes but to ensure that structures remain stable, long enough to prevent deaths when earthquakes occur.
“Earthquakes are unpredictable. You cannot stop them, but you can design buildings that do not collapse and kill people,” he said.
He noted that many of the fatalities recorded during the 1939 earthquake were caused by unsecured building elements and falling objects rather than complete structural collapse, underscoring the need for proper detailing and supervision during construction.
Ing. Bempong said every safe building begins with proper planning, including land ownership verification, site investigations, soil testing, drainage assessment and professional structural design before construction starts.
He warned against the growing practice where approved drawings are altered during construction or engineering specifications ignored on site.
“What happens on some construction sites after approvals have been granted is anybody’s guess,” he observed, adding that cutting corners to reduce construction costs ultimately puts lives at risk.
The engineer reminded architects, engineers and contractors that their professional responsibility extends far beyond the completion of a project.
“The responsibility is for the lifetime of the building. Ten years after completion, if anything goes wrong, investigators will ask who designed it,” he stressed.
Drawing lessons from international experience, Ing. Bempong referred to the recent conviction of engineers and public officials in Italy over the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, where several officials received lengthy prison sentences.
“That is accountability. Professionals must understand that negligence has consequences,” he stated.
He also urged property owners not to ignore cracks and other signs of structural distress, explaining that not every crack is cosmetic and that superficial repairs often conceal deeper structural defects.
According to him, every distressed building requires professional investigation to determine the root cause before any repair works are undertaken.
He said advances in engineering technology now make it possible to strengthen ageing buildings through structural retrofitting and carbon fibre reinforcement systems instead of demolishing them, provided defects are detected early.
Ing. Bempong further advised homeowners against relying on unqualified opinions when structural defects appear.”Not every crack is just a crack. If the underlying problem is not addressed, cosmetic repairs will only hide the defect temporarily before it reappears.”
He maintained that Ghana possesses the technical expertise, engineering standards and professional capacity to construct safe and resilient buildings. However, he said the greatest challenge remains compliance, effective supervision and accountability throughout the construction process.
“The issue is not that Ghana lacks standards,” he noted adding “The issue is whether we are applying them and ensuring that every building is constructed in accordance with approved designs.”
