Osu’s 70-year-old building demolished over fear of collapse
A 70-year-old dilapidated building at Osu has been demolished amid concerns that it was at imminent risk of collapse.
Marked for demolition since 2015, yesterday’s exercise followed a series of engagements between the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, the police and occupants of the property to ensure it was carried out safely.
Prior to the demolition, the structure housed nine occupants, including three shops, all of whom were served notice to vacate the premises.
The action comes days after a similar building collapsed at Avenor, killing one person and injuring others.
The demolition, which took place yesterday, was conducted peacefully, with no confrontation from residents or occupants in the area.
When the Daily Graphic visited the scene during the demolition, it was observed that the area had been cordoned off, with firefighters and security personnel stationed nearby to ensure the exercise was carried out safely.
Backhoe loaders and bulldozers were deployed on the ground to bring down the structure, while some scrap dealers were spotted sifting through the debris in search of iron rods and other salvageable metals.
The operation
Speaking to the media, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Alfred Allotey-Gaisie, said the assembly repeatedly warned occupants to vacate the building due to the risk it posed.
He explained that officials had earlier evacuated the occupants to allow the demolition to proceed safely.
He stated that the operation experienced a brief delay because the Electricity Company of Ghana had to disconnect the power supply, and the telecommunication providers were also engaged to secure fibre optic cables in the area.
Mr Allotey-Gaisie said no casualties were recorded and added that nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
He said the structure, believed to be more than 70 years old, had deteriorated significantly over time, making it unsafe for continued use.
He added that the assembly’s building permit and inspection systems were designed to ensure proper oversight of construction activities and prevent similar risks in the future.
According to him, any new development on the site would be required to meet current building standards.
Property owners
One of the owners of the structure, Walter Martey Hammond, explained that the family had already planned to pull down the building because of its age and poor condition before the assembly intervened.
He said that although the family did not directly invite the assembly to undertake the demolition, officials had earlier marked the building and recommended its removal.
He said the building had deteriorated severely due to a lack of maintenance over several decades.
“It was so serious that if the authorities had not been proactive by writing over our property to evacuate and demolish, we could’ve heard bad news in the coming days,” he said.
He confirmed that the structure housed both residents and businesses, mainly on the ground floor, with no fewer than 10 occupants.
He also said materials from the building had started falling off before the demolition began.
