The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Works and Housing Committee, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has expressed concern over the continued delay in demolishing unsafe structures in Accra, blaming weak enforcement of building regulations for the growing risk to public safety.

His comments follow the collapse of a building in the North Industrial Area three weeks ago, which claimed three lives. Despite assurances from authorities that the remaining section of the structure would be pulled down due to its poor condition, the building is still standing.

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Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Wednesday, June 24, Mr. Korsah said the situation reflects a broader challenge of non-enforcement of laws governing construction and urban development, warning that several buildings across the city pose serious danger.

“What is happening around us is as a result of the lack of enforcement of officialdom. People who are supposed to enforce our laws are still in this country, yet they are endangering the lives of our people,” he said.

Mr. Korsah further argued that even where building permits are issued, there is often little or no follow-up to ensure developers adhere to approved plans and safety standards.

He stressed that without consistent oversight, illegal and unsafe developments continue to emerge, increasing the risk of structural failures in urban areas.

“If you give out a permit, you must follow up to ensure compliance. That is clearly not done,” he added.

The Ranking Member also criticised what he described as growing impunity among developers and weak regulatory control, warning that the trend is putting lives at risk.

“There is impunity, and that is what is happening. People are developing without authorisation, without permits, and without following laid-down procedures,” he said.

Mr. Korsah indicated that Parliament, through the Works and Housing Committee, will push for stronger action on identified unsafe structures, including demolition where necessary, to prevent further disasters.

He added that Parliament intends to engage relevant authorities in what he described as “serious interrogations” to address what he believes is a growing culture of impunity in the enforcement of building regulations.

“It is of much concern to us. As a committee of Parliament, we intend to hold public forums where we are inviting petitions from the general public on such structures, which are obviously death traps waiting for disaster to happen…

“We have already identified some buildings within our city and we want action taken against them—pull them down and ensure compliance,” he stated.