Partly blame politicians for collapse of buildings — Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Ghana has claimed that politicians are partly to be blame for the collapse of buildings in the country.
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They also attributed the situation to the failure of developers to engage the services of professionals to undertake their projects.
Furthermore, the institution said local engineers were not given the necessary tools and resources, including vehicles to work.
Interference
The President of IET, Ghana, Henry Kwadwo Boateng, told the Daily Graphic that although the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) had competent and professional engineers, they were often not allowed to enforce building regulations.
He alleged that when members insisted on carrying out their responsibilities, they were often transferred.
Mr Boateng, therefore, entreated politicians to stop interfering in the work of engineers who were desirous of carrying out their professional work of ensuring developers adhered to building standards.
“To make things worse is when our engineers embark on development control by going round to inspect buildings under construction.
There are some places they go and a politician will tell them not to come there again,” he claimed.
Under the local government system, Mr Boateng said there was no way you could disobey the Chief Executive of an assembly “because the next day you would be moved and when you are transferred, before you get to your next destination, the chief executive there had been informed that the guy coming is a very stubborn guy and so you would not have your peace”.
He, however, admitted that like in other professions, there might be some few recalcitrant engineers, but said those working in MMDAs were facing real challenges, including the fear of victimisation.
Recall
Early this month, three storey buildings collapsed at three different places within a spate of one week.
They were a six-storey building under construction at the University for Development Studies (UDS) City Campus at Sagnarigu in Tamale in the Northern Region, a three-storey building at Nanakrom in the Adentan municipality, and another three-storey building under construction at the SDA Junction at the Adentan side of La-Nkwantanang Madina, in Accra.
One person lost his life while three others sustained injuries in the incidents.
And in October 2020, 22 people lost their lives when a five-storey church building collapsed at Akyem Batabi in the Eastern Region.
Earlier in July 2015, three persons were killed, with 18 others sustaining injuries when a three-storey building collapsed at Cantonments in Accra.
Fire Service
The Ghana National Fire Service attributed the situation to weak foundation, reduction in reinforcement, reduction in concrete strength, poor supervision and the use of poor quality building materials, among others.
It advised developers to desist from engaging the services of uncertified or unqualified practitioners and artisans.