‘Cape Coast Ministries Block is a death trap’

Public sector workers and Civil Servants occupying the Cape Coast Ministries Block have expressed fear over the weak nature of the building they occupy and have appealed to President John Mahama to immediately intervene for it to be rehabilitated.

The concerns and fears follow the Melcom disaster that claimed 14 lives at Achimota in Accra recently.

The six-storey block which has deep cracks with some of the iron rods hanging out dangerously was built during Colonel Benarsko’s tenure as Regional Commissioner in the 1970s, and had since not seen any renovation. And due to its position close to the sea, the sea weather has also had its toll on the building.

It has developed serious cracks and leaks badly when it rains. The workers live in constant fear and have made several appeals to the Regional Coordinating Council which has the oversight responsibility but all to no avail.

Not even publications from both the electronic and print media including the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the Graphic, Chronicle, Daily Guide, TV3 and Metro Television could persuade successive Governments over the years to release funds for the needed renovation.

More than 200 workers of various ministries, departments and agencies including the Ghana Education Service, Controller and Accountant General’s Department, the Audit Service, Information Services Department and the Ghana News Agency are located in the block.

Others are the Ghana Cocoa Board, Department of Community Development, the Business Advisory Centre and the Ghana Immigration Service.

Expressing their fears to the GNA on Wednesday, the workers described the structure as a “death trap” that was dangerous not only to workers but also the hundreds of clients who visit there in daily to transact business in the various departments within the block.

Some workers of the Controller and Accountant General's Department described the building as a “time bomb” waiting to “explode” at any moment.

The worker said they were living in great fear as disaster could occur at any time and, therefore, appealed to all departmental heads to bring pressure to bear on the government to rectify the situation within the shortest possible time.