A three-storey building collapsed in Avenor, Accra, killing two people and injuring three others on June 8, 2026. Structural engineer Ing. Emmanuel Aido has called for stricter oversight of construction sites. He works for Pe-GHIE, a Ghanaian engineering firm. The collapse highlights major safety concerns in Accra's construction sector. Regulatory bodies must improve how they monitor building projects.
Ing. Aido spoke on Joy FM's Super Morning Show. He explained that getting a building permit should not end the job of city officials. Assemblies need to send engineers to construction sites regularly. These teams must check if builders are following approved plans. Builders sometimes change materials, like the type of steel or concrete used. This can weaken the structure significantly over time.
Ghana's economy relies on rapid urban development. Accra is growing fast, with many new buildings. This rapid growth increases the risk of such accidents. The Avenor collapse fits a pattern of past building failures. These incidents raise questions about Ghana's ability to enforce building laws. The Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) has also commented on past collapses. They noted issues like weak concrete were found in prior incidents.
Ing. Aido stated, "It is not always about the permit. The permit is very good, but my issue with the assemblies sometimes is that when the people come for the permit, and they start the construction, I think they should have a monitoring team that goes to the site to see what exactly they are doing. Whether they are going according to the drawings." This demand comes as investigations into the Avenor collapse continue. Authorities are looking into why the building fell.
The implications of this collapse are significant. It could lead to new regulations or stricter enforcement of existing ones. Investors and construction companies will face more scrutiny. Public trust in the safety of new buildings may decrease. City planners and engineers must work together to ensure future projects meet high safety standards. The government may allocate more funds to monitoring bodies. This would improve capabilities for site inspections across Ghana.