When a three-storey building collapsed at Adenta New Site in June 2026, trapping five people, investigators found a familiar pattern: no approved building plans, no development permit, and stop-work orders that had been ignored. Just weeks earlier, another multi-storey building collapsed at Accra New Town, claiming three lives.
These incidents were not natural disasters. They were failures of regulation, supervision, and enforcement. While Ghana has a comprehensive legal framework governing construction, experts argue that the country's greatest challenge is not the absence of laws but the failure to enforce them consistently.
Laws Are in Place, but Compliance Remains Weak
Ghana's construction sector is regulated by the National Building Regulations, 1996 (L.I. 1630) and the Ghana Building Code, 2018, which establish standards for building permits, structural design, foundations, fire safety, materials, inspections, and occupancy certification.
The regulations require developers to obtain permits before construction, engage qualified professionals, conduct geotechnical investigations where necessary, and obtain Certificates of Occupancy before buildings are used.
Yet investigations into several building collapses have repeatedly uncovered illegal construction without permits, inadequate structural designs, poor-quality materials, unauthorized alterations, and additional floors erected without engineering approval.
Why Buildings Continue to Collapse
Construction professionals identify weak enforcement as the biggest problem.
Many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) lack sufficient building inspectors, vehicles, testing equipment, and logistical support. As a result, inspections are often irregular or limited to visual assessments that cannot detect hidden structural defects.
Research has also highlighted corruption, bureaucratic delays, political interference, inadequate public education, and limited institutional resources as major obstacles to effective implementation of building regulations.
On many construction sites, approved drawings are altered to reduce costs. Contractors sometimes dilute concrete, use undersized reinforcement bars, produce weak concrete blocks, or add extra floors beyond approved designs. Engineers warn that these shortcuts significantly increase the risk of structural failure.
Another growing concern is the conversion of residential buildings into churches, schools, warehouses, and commercial facilities without assessing whether the structures can safely carry the additional loads.
The Human and Economic Cost
Every building collapse leaves behind more than damaged concrete. Families lose loved ones, businesses are destroyed, and confidence in the construction industry suffers.
Government also bears substantial financial costs. The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has begun demolishing dangerous structures across Greater Accra, while authorities continue to identify other buildings that pose serious public safety risks.
Officials acknowledge that many of these demolitions could have been avoided had building regulations been properly enforced from the beginning.
What Must Change
Experts and professional bodies are calling for a stronger enforcement regime.
Every MMDA should establish fully resourced Planning and Building Inspectorate Units with trained personnel, vehicles, and modern testing equipment to conduct regular inspections throughout construction.
Mandatory stage-by-stage inspections should become standard practice, ensuring foundations, structural frames, roofing, and finishing works all comply with approved plans before construction proceeds.
Professional engineers have also proposed a nationwide structural integrity assessment for multi-storey buildings, particularly older structures and abandoned developments that may have deteriorated over time.
Equally important is strict enforcement of the Certificate of Occupancy requirement. Buildings that fail to obtain certification should not be occupied until all safety requirements have been met.
Holding Everyone Accountable
Effective enforcement must extend beyond developers.
Professionals who approve unsafe designs, contractors who knowingly violate standards, and public officials who ignore illegal construction should face disciplinary action and legal sanctions.
The Engineering Council of Ghana has pledged stricter regulation of engineering practice, including stronger action against unlicensed practitioners, poor supervision, and the use of substandard construction materials.
Industry experts also recommend reviewing and modernising aspects of L.I. 1630 to address emerging challenges such as high-density urban development, climate resilience, and sustainable construction practices while simplifying permit procedures to encourage compliance.
Shared Responsibility
District Assemblies remain legally responsible for approving developments and enforcing building regulations within their jurisdictions. Their effectiveness will largely determine whether illegal construction continues unchecked.
However, citizens also have responsibilities. Property owners should engage registered architects and engineers, obtain all required permits before construction begins, and refuse to occupy buildings that lack approved plans or occupancy certificates.
The Bottom Line
Ghana does not need another building code. It needs stronger enforcement of the laws already in place.
Every building collapse serves as a reminder that regulations are only effective when they are implemented without compromise. Adequately funded inspectorates, independent professional oversight, swift sanctions for violations, and greater public awareness can significantly reduce preventable disasters.
Safe buildings are not created by legislation alone. They are built through strict compliance, professional integrity, and unwavering enforcement.
If Ghana chooses enforcement over complacency, future headlines will celebrate safer cities instead of mourning preventable tragedies.
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