A 13-member committee of inquiry has been commissioned to investigate the collapse of buildings and related structural failures across the country.
The committee has been given eight weeks to submit an interim report and sixteen weeks to deliver its final findings.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Committee, the Interior Minister, who is also Member of Parliament for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, said the committee must carry out its findings devoid of any biases, adding that the outcomes will help in the forward march of the country.
“The findings and recommendations of the Committee will assist Government to address immediate concerns arising from the affected structures while laying the foundation for long-term reforms to Ghana’s building regulatory and safety systems,” he said.
As part of the terms of reference for the committee, it is to, among other things, investigate the ownership and legal status and development history of the landed property, coordination between relevant stakeholders.
“Investigate the ownership, legal status and development history of the landed properties upon which the affected buildings and structures were constructed and examine all approvals, permits, licences, certifications and authorisations granted in respect of such developments,” the Minister charged the committee
The committee will also “Assess the effectiveness of coordination among relevant institutions involved in planning, approval, monitoring, inspection and enforcement processes, including Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, Lands Commission, Ghana National Fire Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Disaster Management Organisation, Water Resources Commission, Ghana Standards Authority and other relevant agencies”
Alhaji Muntaka has since tasked the committee to present recommendations that will inform future disciplinary actions for a formidable structural integrity.
“Recommend disciplinary, administrative, professional, civil or criminal action against any person, institution, public officer or professional found to have violated any law, regulation, standard or professional obligation that caused or contributed to the incidents”, he intimated.
The committee, chaired by former Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and Deputy Commandant at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Brigadier General B. F. Kusi, with Madam Doreen Annan of the Interior Ministry as Secretary.
Members of the committee are drawn from different institutions and academia, including the Interior Ministry, National Security, Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, National Disaster and Management Organisation (NADMO), Ministry of Works and Housing, The Ghana police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Institute of Engineers, Lands Commission, among others.
Other members of the committee are: Ms. Winifred Sarpong, Dr. Ishmael Norman, Ing. Isaac Tenkorang, Mr. Amo Yartey, Ing. Ebenezer Mac-Tetteh, Surv. Isaac Larbie, DCOP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo (Rtd), Mr. Julius Kuunour, Ing. Michael Obeng Konadu, Arch. Tony Asare.
