Tema SSNIT flats occupants worried over cracks

Some occupants of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) flats at Tema community ‘5’ have expressed their fear of a future collapse of the buildings due to the deteriorating nature at present.

The 16 flats, which were constructed 17 years ago by SSNIT and either sold or rented out to the residents, have developed serious cracks from the foundation level to the top of the three storey flats.

A visit to the flats on Monday by the Ghana News Agency revealed that the flats, especially the flat number eight was gradually sinking to the ground with major cracks running from the foundation, through the walls and into the various rooms.

Mrs Bernice Addae, a resident, who showed the GNA heavy cracks in her hall, said since she and her family bought the two-bed-room apartment, they have been contacting the SSNIT office for the problem to be solved.

Mrs Addae indicated that even though residents had been carrying out maintenance works on the building frequently, the problem could not be solved due to the intensity of the cracks.

“The cracks are so wide that whenever it rained, the water passes through it into the room”, she noted.

She added that their fears had been heightened due to the collapse of the Melcom building at Achimota last week, which claimed 14 lives and injured 68 people.

She again said several letters and follow-up calls on SSNIT concerning their plights over the years had not yielded any favourable result.

The resident stated that some engineers, who visited the place some three years ago to assess the situation, said the land should have been treated before the construction of the building due to the presence of water.

Mrs Julian Asare, a resident, who occupied the building for the past 17 years, said they were having a hard time convincing their children that the flats was safe due to the Achimota Melcom incident.

Mrs Asare, therefore, called on the SSNIT authorities, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and other institutions to come to their aid to avoid another tragic accident from occurring in the country.