Church building collapse: Prophet Akoa Isaac assisting police in investigation

The founder of Church of Prosperity, Prophet Isaac Ofori is popularly known as Akoa Isaac, is assisting the Akyem Oda Divisional Police Command to investigate the collapse of his three-storey uncompleted church building which has led to the death of many worshippers at Akyem Batabi in the Arsene-Manso-Akroso District of the Eastern Region.

The incident occurred Tuesday at about 2:30 pm.

Prophet Akoa Isaac has told police in his statement that he was sick and lying in his residence on the same compound of the church when he heard the implosion of the collapsing church building.

He said he was told that about 56 worshippers were in and around the building fasting and praying when the incident happened.

When police proceeded to the scene, 35 of the worshippers were seen traumatized while a 60-year-old woman identified as Afia Tamakloe, was found dead. The rest were trapped under the rubble.

A joint rescue team made up of officials of the National Disaster Management Organization, NADMO, Ghana National Fire Service, Police, Ambulance Service, BNI, National Security, Military with support from the Eastern Regional Minister Eric Kwakye Darfuor who is at the scene retrieved 13 victims as at last night out of which 6-all females were dead, one (1) in critical condition while 6 victims namely Adu Godfred, 21, Erasmus Larnor, 25, Elizabeth Toot, 18, Bridget Birorey, 59, Jonas Larnor, 45, and Charity Addision, 38 have been treated and discharged by the Oda Government Hospital.

According to one of the survivors “We were resting in the church building after fasting and prayers so whilst resting, we heard portions of the building coming down. We were over 60 in the building so we started running away some of the people managed to escape but others were trapped".

The Asene Akroso NADMO Director Gyan Willington told Kasapa News it has been very tedious removing the rubbles but added the rescue team is making headway as additional excavators have been provided.

Some residents say the construction of the church building started about a decade ago hence its structural integrity was exacerbated by the recent rains causing it to collapse.