Accra: The Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), in collaboration with the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-Gh), and the Local Government Service Engineers Association (LoGSEA), has unveiled preliminary findings concerning the causes of recent building collapses in Accra and other regions of the country.
According to Ghana Web, during a joint press briefing, the engineering bodies, under the leadership of Michael Obeng Konadu, Chair of Civil Division of the Ghana Institution of Engineering, identified several factors contributing to these incidents. Unengineered structures, inadequate foundations, regulatory non-compliance, and the use of poor-quality materials were cited as recurring issues leading to building collapses.
The recent increase in the death toll to three from the Avenor building collapse was highlighted by the Mayor of Accra. Konadu noted that some collapsed structures were constructed without the involvement of qualified engineering professionals. The incidents, including a multi-storey residential building collapse and the abandoned Newtown Experimental School structure, demonstrate a pattern of construction lacking proper design, supervision, or certification.
Investigations conducted at sites such as Adenta, Avenor, and Ayawaso Central revealed that many buildings were erected without the involvement of qualified engineers. These constructions often lacked proper permits or ignored stop-work orders, contributing to their instability. In particular, some buildings had shallow foundations laid in high water-table environments, and unauthorized vertical extensions added unsafe loads to already weak structures.
At the Adenta site, exposed foundations indicated non-compliance with fundamental geotechnical standards, as required embedment depths were not achieved. At the Avenor site, shallow foundations were constructed in a high-water-table environment with significant fill material, raising concerns about structural integrity.
The engineering bodies also pointed out structural deficiencies, including poorly detailed reinforcement, discontinuous load-bearing columns, and substandard concrete. These factors collectively led to progressive failures, including 'pancake collapses,' where floors failed sequentially under their own weight. Although environmental triggers like heavy rainfall and rising groundwater were noted, the institutions emphasized that these factors only exposed pre-existing weaknesses rather than serving as root causes.