Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tema West, Ludwig Teye Totimeh, has vowed to take decisive action against developers who flout building regulations following the collapse of a three-storey building at Klagon early Wednesday morning.
The incident, which occurred around 4:30 a.m., left a mother and her two children injured after they were trapped under debris. They were later rescued and rushed to the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema for treatment.
Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews, Mr Totimeh described the collapse as “unfortunate but avoidable,” revealing that the developer had already been cautioned and summoned by the Assembly before the incident.
“We will not sleep on this,” the MCE assured. “We are going to take very strict measures against the developer and anyone putting up structures without permits. The sanctions could range from financial penalties to imprisonment.”
Mr Totimeh disclosed that the developer had been directed to stop work and appear before the Assembly, but failed to comply. Instead, he reportedly returned to the site with more construction materials despite warnings from city authorities.
“He was supposed to have appeared before us even before the other complaint was filed,” the MCE said. “We followed up with a call, and that’s when we heard he had brought more materials to the site. Shortly after, we received this unfortunate news.”
The Tema West Assembly has since initiated investigations into the collapse, with plans to set up a technical committee to assess the structural integrity of nearby buildings and ensure compliance with urban planning regulations.
Meanwhile, residents are calling on authorities to intensify building inspections and enforce stricter penalties to prevent similar disasters. The Klagon collapse adds to growing concerns about illegal developments and weak regulatory enforcement in parts of the Greater Accra Region.
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