The founder of the Union Government (UG), Akwasi Addae Odike, has said it is high time the government pulled down all old, uncompleted structures to avert further disasters.
Speaking on the Anopa Bofo show on Angel FM on Monday, 30 March 2026, during a discussion on the Accra Newtown building collapse, he said many uncompleted buildings in prime urban areas lack structural integrity and should be demolished.
“These areas are in prime areas like Newtown; it is in a prime area in the heart of the city but we have not sat down to plan that, let us pass a bill in Parliament that if there are buildings which have lost structural integrity, we need to pull it down. Today there are a lot of old buildings that have lost their structural integrity and pose death traps in the heart of the city,” he stated.
Mr. Odike proposed that the government should pass legislation enabling people to acquire and redevelop such plots.
“If you have a building in the middle of the town that poses threats to human life and at the same time we want modernity to face-lift the country, we will sell the land to someone who wants to buy it for a building project; then you agree terms with the old landlord, demolish it and build your house, which will also help reserve outskirts lands for farming activities,” he said.
He urged President Mahama and Members of Parliament to work together to enact a law to allow the acquisition and redevelopment of land with dangerous structures into new high-rise projects to help modernise the country.
Odike also blamed Ghanaian electorates for voting for the wrong leaders, noting that politicians often win support from people living in unsafe conditions by offering them small gifts and money, and these voters then forget their poor living conditions when casting their ballots.
He expressed condolences to those who lost their lives and to those injured in the Accra Newtown collapse.
“Everyone has ignored it, Mr President Mahama, you and your Parliamentarians should come together to make a law that allow people to acquire such lands to help face-lift the country and i don’t blamethe Parliamentarians, I blame the electorate who vote for these NDC and NPP leaders,” he added.
Source: Vanessa Elizabeth Nkum
