Interior Minister inaugurates 13-member committee of inquiry into rising building collapse incidents

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has inaugurated a 13-member Committee of Inquiry to investigate recent incidents of building collapses across Ghana and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.

The committee, established under the Ministry of the Interior, is expected to look into the causes of building failures and propose reforms aimed at strengthening public safety, regulatory systems, oversight, and accountability within the construction sector.

During the inauguration, Mr Mubarak said building collapses should not be viewed as isolated structural failures but rather as outcomes of deeper challenges involving poor planning, weak enforcement, breaches of professional standards, and institutional failures.

He stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the underlying causes of such incidents to ensure the necessary reforms are implemented to protect lives and property.

He said the committee's mandate covers a broad range of issues, including structural and design defects, the use of substandard construction materials, construction malpractice, environmental factors, climate-related impacts, human negligence, and institutional shortcomings.

He appealed to the members of the committee to conduct their work with independence, professionalism, integrity, and objectivity, and to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations that would improve regulatory oversight, enhance enforcement, promote safer construction practices, and build community resilience.He also called on relevant state institutions, professional bodies, developers, property owners, and the general public to cooperate with the committee to enable it to successfully complete its mandate.

"Ensuring the safety of our built environment is a shared responsibility, and there must be no room for impunity where public safety is concerned," he stated.

The Chairman of the committee, Brigadier General B. F. Kusi, expressed appreciation for the confidence placed in the members and assured that the committee would deliver a comprehensive report.

He said the report would serve as a blueprint for improving building safety standards and preventing similar incidents in the future.