All over the world, nations and individuals learn from negative experiences, incidents and disasters. However, this does not apply to Ghanaians. Whenever a disaster occurs, you will hear politicians and people in authority speak all the “big english” in this world and before you know it, a similar thing happens again.

We have seen several buildings collapse in Ghana and one would think these disasters will spur our city authorities who have been dozing, to sit up. The Melcom disaster shook the foundations of this nation. Several lives were lost; we had people running around as usual in an attempt to do the jobs they should have done which would have prevented the disaster.

A three-storey building under construction at Cantonments collapsed last Saturday killing three people and injuring 18 others. The owner of the building, Dr. Adabla was identified as one of the dead. May his soul rest in peace!

When I heard a building had collapsed again, I was not surprised. I nearly choked on a glass of water when I read online that the La Dadekotopon Municipal Chief Executive, Rita Odoley Sowah who was at the site told journalists that the owner of the property did not comply with the assembly’s regulations.

“I am indeed lost of words because as this project was ongoing, I have been here with my staff on several occasions to ask them to stop work because before you embark on any project you have to obtain permit from the assembly which they hadn’t done”.

She added, “When we say stop work, you have to abide by that but for them, they ignored it and continued working”. At this point, the glass of water tasted like Chloroquine in my mouth. Really? Is this how the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly works? The Municipal Assembly served the owner of the building with a “stop work order” and then folded its arms and watched the building spring up? Amazing! What happened to the enforcement of regulations?            

I’m convinced the owner of the said building did not have the building pulled down because he was influential and was wealthy. Is that how we are going to treat citizens of this country? The rich are treated differently from the poor? If it were a poor man who was putting up a kiosk within cantonments I’m sure the Municipal Assembly would have moved in to demolish the kiosk after serving a “stop work order”.

If this is how officials at the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly have been working then I dare say that a state of emergency should be declared within the municipality. I foresee several buildings collapsing within the municipality soon.

At what point was the owner of the building served with the “stop work order” and why did the assembly not force the owner to comply with the order? There are too many unanswered questions. The La Dadekotopon Municipal Chief Executive, Rita Odoley Sowah should come again.

This is what happens when public officials who have been tasked to ensure that buildings have permits and also meet the required standards sleep on the job. We can all easily lose our lives like fowls. The day you enter any building in Ghana and especially a building in the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly, say your last prayers because it could be your last day on earth.