Ghana Institution of Engineering reveals recent causes of building collapse

The Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), together with the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-Gh), and the Local Government Service Engineers Association (LoGSEA), has revealed preliminary findings on the causes of recent building collapses in Accra and other parts of the country.

At a joint press briefing on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, the engineering bodies, led by Michael Obeng Konadu, the Chair of Civil Division of Ghana Institution of Engineering, pointed to unengineered structures, inadequate foundations, regulatory non-compliance, and poor-quality materials as recurring factors behind the tragedies.

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"We have found that some of the collapsed structures were erected without the involvement of qualified engineering professionals. The collapse of an unengineered multi-storey residential building, as well as the incident involving the abandoned Newtown Experimental School structure, highlights a dangerous pattern of construction without proper design, supervision, or certification," he disclosed.

Investigations at sites in Adenta, Avenor, and Ayawaso Central showed that many buildings were erected without qualified engineers, lacked proper permits, or ignored stop-work orders.

In some cases, shallow foundations were laid in high water-table environments, while unauthorised vertical extensions added unsafe loads to already weak structures.

"At the Adenta site, exposed foundations suggest that required embedment depths were not achieved, raising concerns about compliance with fundamental geotechnical standards. At the Avenor site, we observed shallow foundations constructed in a high-water-table environment with significant fill material, Konadu added.

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The engineers also highlighted structural deficiencies such as poorly detailed reinforcement, discontinuous load-bearing columns, and substandard concrete, which collectively led to progressive failures, including “pancake collapses” where floors failed sequentially under their own weight.

Environmental triggers like heavy rainfall and rising groundwater were noted, but the institutions stressed these only exposed pre-existing weaknesses rather than being root causes.

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