Architect and Facility Management Consultant, Samuel Opare Agyemang, has placed partial blame on the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for the recent building collapses in the country, citing their negligence in fulfilling their supervisory responsibilities.
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During an interview with the media, Mr. Agyemang highlighted that the MMDAs are struggling to effectively oversee construction projects within their jurisdictions due to a lack of resources, including vehicles for monitoring purposes.
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He explained that the MMDAs are tasked with evaluating projects before granting permits and conducting inspections at various stages of the building process.
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He expressed his belief that a significant portion, around 90%, of the blame for these incidents rests with the Municipal Assemblies for not adhering to these critical oversight duties.
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Mr. Agyemang also identified the use of poor-quality construction materials as a contributing factor to building collapses.
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He raised concerns about substandard materials, particularly citing issues with non-standard iron rod sizes, which can compromise the structural integrity of buildings.
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Moreover, he pointed out that the involvement of unqualified individuals, such as masons rather than architects, in construction projects contributes to the problem.
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Many Ghanaians, he noted, tend to prefer hiring masons instead of qualified architects, which can lead to errors in design and construction.
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The discussion was prompted by the collapse of a wall at a construction site in Ofankor North near Accra on August 2, resulting in one confirmed fatality and several injuries.
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