The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has announced that 16 structurally compromised buildings across the Greater Accra Region have been identified for demolition as part of efforts to prevent further building-related disasters.
The decision follows the collapse of a three-storey building at Avenor in North Kaneshie on Sunday, June 7, which claimed two lives and left three others injured. The tragedy has heightened concerns over the safety of ageing and poorly maintained structures in the capital.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the collapse site, Mr Muntaka revealed that the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) had assessed and identified several buildings considered unsafe for continued occupation.
According to the Minister, authorities have already begun evacuating occupants from the affected structures ahead of their demolition.
He explained that the exercise forms part of a broader government strategy aimed at reducing preventable disasters and protecting lives and property.
“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,” he said.
Mr Muntaka stressed the importance of proactively addressing known safety risks, noting that while some disasters may occur naturally, preventable incidents must be tackled through decisive action and strict enforcement of building regulations.
“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 added.
The Minister underscored the need for greater compliance with building standards and safety regulations, warning that failure to enforce existing laws could lead to more avoidable tragedies.
The planned demolitions are expected to commence after the evacuation process is completed, as authorities move to eliminate structures deemed a threat to public safety.
