Vacate Unsafe Buildings or Face Demolition –NADMO

By Maame Efua Kwaduah

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has issued a final 14-day ultimatum to occupants of structurally defective buildings across the Central Region to vacate the premises.

Those who fail to comply will face compulsory demolition of the affected structures, with the cost of demolition recovered from property owners.

The directive follows recent incidents of flooding, mudslides, landslides and building collapses in the region, which have resulted in the deaths of 18 people and affected more than 5,000 residents across 13 districts.

Speaking in a media interview the Central Regional Director of NADMO, Mr. Emmanuel Kwesi Dawood, said authorities could no longer delay the evacuation of buildings that pose a serious threat to lives and property.

He explained that many of the affected structures had already been identified as unsafe and marked for demolition. However, repeated requests from landlords, landladies and family members for additional time to secure alternative accommodation have slowed enforcement efforts.

“We have some landlords, landladies and families who always come to us to plead for more time so that they can find alternative accommodation whilst we pull down such structures. What we have realised is that most of them do not intend to leave the structures. Meanwhile, these structures are death traps on their own,” Mr. Dawood stated.

According to him, several weakened structures have already collapsed, leading to fatalities, while others have fallen onto neighbouring buildings, causing injuries and significant property damage.

“Some collapse on their own, resulting in fatalities. Some also collapse and fall on other nearby buildings, also bringing about casualties,” he said.

Mr. Dawood noted that the latest directive represents a final opportunity for occupants to leave the affected buildings voluntarily before authorities begin enforcement.

“To save lives and protect properties, we have issued our final evacuation order, giving them a fortnight. Within this grace period, they are free to evacuate and do the demolition at their own expense,” he explained.

He warned that any occupant who remains in the affected residential or commercial buildings after the 14-day period would face forced eviction and demolition, with the associated costs charged to the property owner.

“After the 14-day grace period, any landlord, landlady, tenant or occupier who still remains in their residential or commercial property, we will pull them down, but they will have to pay for the cost of demolition for failing to evacuate,” he added.

Mr. Dawood attributed the increasing risk of building collapse to the advanced age and deteriorating condition of many structures in the region, some of which were constructed more than a century ago.

“Most of these buildings were put up over 100 years ago. There has been little or no maintenance and several deteriorations over the years. Most of them were made of swish or sand. Looking at how long the buildings have existed without maintenance, we can say some lives are in danger,” he said.

He appealed to the public, corporate organisations, and development partners to support affected victims with food items, non-food relief supplies, and educational materials.

He noted that donations can be delivered to NADMO’s National Headquarters in Accra, the Central Regional Directorate or any Metropolitan, Municipal, or District Directorate of the organisation for onward distribution to the affected communities.