The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has called for a full-scale investigation and the prosecution of engineers responsible for the collapse of a building at the Accra Newtown Experimental D/A School.
According to him, the fact that the structure was uncompleted yet still gave way raises serious concerns about the level of diligence exercised by engineers in ensuring its structural safety.
Speaking to Citi News at the scene of the incident in Accra, Ayariga expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims. He also criticized what he described as poor supervision of construction projects across the country, stressing the urgent need for accountability.
“It calls into question the way that we supervise projects and construction in this country. Time and time again, it is only when structures collapse and lives are lost that the issue is discussed, and yet little is done afterwards. Engineers supervising these structures must be held accountable,” he stated.
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday, March 29, when an old school building near the Experimental Junior High School in Accra Newtown—reportedly being used as a makeshift place of worship—collapsed. The disaster claimed the lives of three people and left several others injured.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) reported that it received a distress call at 5:01 p.m. Rescue teams from its National Headquarters arrived shortly after, at 5:17 p.m. and 5:19 p.m., to begin emergency operations.
Preliminary reports indicate that 23 individuals—comprising 15 females, 8 males, and three minors—were trapped under the debris. Through coordinated rescue efforts involving the GNFS, other emergency responders, and local residents, 20 victims were successfully pulled from the rubble and rushed to nearby health facilities for treatment.
Authorities are expected to begin investigations into the cause of the collapse as calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations intensify.
