Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for strict adherence to building and safety regulations following the collapse of a structure at the North Industrial Area in Accra.
Speaking to the media at the scene, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stressed that lessons from the incident must be used to prevent similar tragedies in future, warning that failure to comply with established regulations often comes at a heavy cost.
She noted that the collapse underscores the consequences of negligence and non-compliance, urging all stakeholders to support efforts aimed at enforcing safety standards.
“Because somebody didn’t do the right thing. When people step out to do the right thing, all of us should support them,” she said.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of rules and regulations in maintaining order and protecting lives, even when they may be unpopular.
“Let’s abide by the rules. Nobody likes rules, but we need rules. Otherwise, nothing will function,” she stated.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also called for a thorough investigation into the incident to establish the cause of the collapse and ensure accountability where necessary.
“We need to do proper investigation. We must all open ourselves to be held to account. It’s all of us,” she said.
She suggested that the disaster may have been avoidable and urged authorities and the public to reflect on what could have been done differently to prevent the incident.
“This really maybe needn’t have happened. But what could we have done? What do we do to ensure that going forward we are not seeing many like these?” she asked.
The Vice President further cautioned against unsafe construction practices, particularly in flood-prone areas and designated waterways.
“We know the place is prone to flooding. We know that this is a waterway. Let’s not invite unnecessary tragedy,” she warned.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also commended emergency response teams, including the fire service, police, military and members of the media, for their swift response and efforts at the scene of the collapse.
