The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, Dr. Michael Mensah, has assured the public that the structural integrity of a new Villaggio apartment building under construction in Accra’s Airport Residential Area remains intact after parts of the structure collapsed.
The incident occurred around midday on Tuesday, October 21, amid strong winds that preceded rainfall in the capital, causing sections of blocks and construction materials to fall from the upper floors of the building near the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout.
A viral video of the incident, credited to Efo Kodjo, showed blocks breaking off from the top of the high-rise, sparking panic among passers-by, residents and motorists in the area and raising concerns about the safety of high-rise developments.
Speaking after an assessment of the site on Wednesday, October 22, Dr. Mensah said the Assembly, together with the Engineering Council and the Works Department, inspected the building and found no indication that the structure was at risk of collapsing.
Addressing concerns about high-rise developments in the municipality, the MCE explained that vertical construction is now the way to go due to the high value of land in the enclave.
“And you know, the value of the land is very high, and these days we are advising that we should go vertical. That is the way to go. So most buildings, when you go to the enclave, you realize that they are all going vertical,” he said.
“But then they go through the right permitting process to make sure that the structure can support the height before they are allowed to put up those structures. So there’s no fear at all.”
Dr. Mensah said the Assembly has recommended that the contractor builds up to one metre at a time and allows the concrete to cure properly before continuing.
“And we’ve also indicated that there should be safety nets around the building, especially around that side, so that it will prevent further falling of the blocks,” he said.
He explained that the initial absence of safety nets was due to the presence of hoists and supporting pillars at the site.
“But then the understanding we got was that we didn’t have safety nets there because of the hoists. If you have the hoists there, where we have the pillars supporting the structure, because of the hoists, the safety net was not provided.”
“But then, per our recommendation, it is important to provide safety nets around that space so that it would prevent the blocks from destroying any property around. And we have indicated that we’re there with the Engineering Council and there’s nothing wrong with the building,” he stressed.
“The building is not going to come down, and there’s hoarding around the building. So that place was actually restricted, where the blocks actually landed,” the MCE said at the press conference.
He explained that the building is still under construction and that the incident did not necessarily indicate a problem with the structural integrity of the entire building. He stressed that the affected area had been cordoned off and was a restricted zone, and that no one was present at the time to sustain injuries.
“So the public can be assured that there’s no fear at all. They can go and do their business, and nobody will be affected,” he added.
Safety Measures:
The Assembly said it has recommended additional safety measures to prevent a recurrence:
– The contractor has been advised to limit further blockwork to a height of one metre at a time and allow the concrete to cure properly before proceeding.
– Installation of safety nets around the building, particularly on the affected side, to prevent falling materials from injuring people or damaging nearby properties.
Background:
Villaggio Vista is one of several luxury high-rise apartment developments springing up around Airport Residential Area and Tetteh Quarshie, an area that has seen rapid vertical development in recent years.
The Assembly says it will continue to monitor the site and enforce building regulations to ensure public safety.
By Sampson Kumah Ifeetwube Elvis
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