A member of the National Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Wonder Kutor Victor, has called for the authorities responsible for approving building permits at the Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly to be held accountable following the collapse of a structure that claimed three lives.
The incident occurred on Sunday, March 29, when an old school building near the Experimental Junior High School, reportedly converted into a makeshift place of worship, caved in, leaving several others injured.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One News TV on Monday, March 30, Mr Kutor questioned the processes that led to the approval of the structure, insisting that responsibility must not be evaded.
“Getting a building permit is not done by one person; it is a committee that sits to approve such permits. This is a public building, so which engineer approved it? Which structural engineer assessed the columns?” he said.
He further called for a thorough investigation to determine whether due process was followed or if the building was developed without proper authorisation.
“And if there were no approvals, then we must find out whether payments were made to the said contractor,” he added.
Wonder Kutor Victor stressed the need for accountability to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the incident was reported at 5:01 p.m., with the first and second rescue teams from the National Headquarters arriving promptly at 5:17 p.m. and 5:19 p.m., respectively, to begin search and rescue operations.
Initial reports indicated that several persons were trapped beneath the rubble. In total, 23 individuals—comprising 15 females and 8 males, including three minors—were caught in the collapse.
Through the coordinated efforts of GNFS personnel, other emergency agencies, and residents, 20 victims were successfully rescued and transported to various health facilities for treatment.
However, three people—two females and one male—lost their lives. Their remains have since been handed over to the police for preservation and further investigation.
