Minister blames shoddy work for storey building collapse at Techiman

The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh is of the firm believe that shoddy work by the contractor awarded the 30 unit 3-story building at the Techiman Central Market led to its collapse on Wednesday dawn.

Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh who was interacting with chiefs after visiting the scene, promised constitute a fact finding committee to unearth the cause of the collapse that has resulted in one death and two injuries.

“If you look at the pillars of the structure you will realize that there is not enough cement in the structure. The remaining structure appears shaky and I wish it could be pulled down because it poses a major threat to lives of those using the market”, he demanded.

He was however happy the collapse did not happen on a market day indicating that it could have been disastrous considering its location, consequently ordering for the immediate suspension of the Techiman Municipal Works Engineer Alfred Osei Berko and the building inspector Isaac Yeboah.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) John Kofi Donyinah has directed that all ongoing government projects in the municipality be halted pending a fact finding team he has constituted in consultation with the assembly to review how such contracts were awarded.

His decision follows the collapse of a three-story ongoing market building on the earlier on dawn of Wednesday June 28, 2017 resulting in the death of one person and two others injured.

“I have directed that an excavator be taken to the area to see if there are other people under it. I am by this halting all ongoing projects within the municipality. If you are executing government project you must adhere to the latest directive immediately or else a special task force I have constituted will come after you”, he disclosed.

A three-storey building containing about 30 stores under construction this dawn collapsed at the Techiman market resulting in the death of security man who had slept at the construction site.

Seidu Mumuni also a security man who was among the two survivors, disclosed that the incident occurred at about 3:30am at the Wa Station in the Techiman market.

According to him the contractor and his men had come to work the day before the disaster and had reached the third floor.

One of the injured persons in critical condition is currently on admission at the Holy Family Hospital and the body of the deceased deposited at the morgue of the same facility.