Cape Coast Mayor leads demolition exercise after a building collapsed

Cape Coast Mayor, George Justice Arthur, is leading a bold initiative to rid the cape coast city of dangerously dilapidated buildings earning unexpected praise from property owners who see the effort as long overdue.

Speaking in an interview with the media on Monday June 23, he pointed out that, broader consultations were done with owners of the buildings before the demolition exercise.

“We took the bold step to demolish these structures because many of the owners wanted to do it themselves but lacked the resources.

He revealed that, the demolition exercise is costing the assembly lots of money as they have to fund the exercise because of the owner’s inability to do so.

“Demolishing your building is costly. We’re using drip machines, and even that comes with high fuel expenses.”

The mayor explained that the Assembly’s move isn’t just about enforcing safety standards, it’s a strategic intervention to help residents breathe easier. For some owners, whose buildings had long posed safety hazards, the intervention was a welcome relief.

“They are happy that we are demolishing their dilapidated buildings for them”

The Assembly has also pledged support for tenants affected by the demolitions, offering temporary arrangements to ease the transition.

“We are trying to make provision for some occupants, giving them a temporary place while they search for other accommodation,” Arthur added. “They are happy about the situation.”

The demolition exercise follows the collapse of a building at Cape Coast’s London Bridge area leading to the death of two people, injuring others.

Eyewitnesses reported that five individuals were inside the structure when it suddenly collapsed.

Rescue teams quickly arrived at the scene and managed to pull out the survivors, who were then rushed to the Awim Hospital for emergency care.

Preliminary assessments suggested that, the building was structurally compromised, with visible signs of decay prior to the incident.

Though only a portion of the building collapsed, authorities fear the remaining structure could pose further risks, hence leading to the demolition of similar buildings in the metropolis.