The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) is set to begin the demolition of unsafe structures across the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, with the iconic Zenith Hotel building in Takoradi earmarked as one of the properties to be pulled down.
The exercise forms part of a broader intervention targeting 88 buildings identified as structurally unsafe following an assessment conducted by NADMO late last year.
Speaking to Citi News on Tuesday, June 23, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Director of NADMO, Alhaji Abubakar Deen, said the planned demolitions are intended to prevent potential disasters and protect lives, particularly as many of the affected structures have been deemed dangerous and unfit for occupation.
“A structural assessment activity that we carried out late last year, somewhere around October, revealed so many structures as dangerous, dilapidated and lacking the integrity to stand. For the first phase of the exercise, we have identified about 88 of them within the metropolis,” he said.
According to him, the affected buildings are spread across Sekondi, Takoradi and other sub-metropolitan areas, with more than 70% of them being residential properties.
He explained that the demolition process has been delayed by efforts to identify and engage the owners of the structures, some of whom have been difficult to trace.
“After identifying the structures, the first process is to identify the actual owners. We have been able to get about six of them and have written letters to them,” he stated.
Alhaji Deen noted that several of the abandoned buildings have become occupied by squatters and persons with mental health challenges, while others continue to serve as educational facilities despite their deteriorating condition.
“The owners actually wanted to comply, but there are some people occupying the structure who are refusing to vacate. We therefore had to go to court to secure an order before implementing the necessary measures,” he explained.
Meanwhile, attention has now shifted to the Zenith Hotel building and the nearby Prempeh Cinema structure, which have become major concerns for city authorities because of their condition.
“The second one is the Zenith building, the almighty Zenith building in Takoradi. Together with other stakeholders, we are conducting our final assessment of both the Zenith and the Prempeh Cinema buildings so that after this exercise we will move in and do the needful,” he said.
Alhaji Deen clarified that the intervention would involve the complete demolition of the affected structures once all outstanding assessments and administrative processes have been concluded.
“If everything goes on, barring any unforeseen challenges, by next week or week today we should be able to start work. The owners of the building have taken it upon themselves to ensure that all the necessary arrangements are settled,” he added.
