Legislation to enforce building regulations in the offing

Koforidua, Oct. 10, GNA - The Geological Survey Department (GSD) is proposing a Legislative Instrument (LI) for the approval of Government that would penalise developers, who fail to comply with safety regulations in the construction of structures, especially high rise buildings.

The Eastern Regional Director of the GSD, Mr J. K. Duodu, dropped the hint at a symposium to mark the World Disaster Day at Koforidua on Thursday, organised by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).

He mentioned four places including the Weija and Shai Hills areas as earthquake prone and noted that nation seemed to have taken this reality for granted and had not prepared for possible disaster. Mr Duodu, therefore, cautioned the nation to appreciate that earthquakes or tremors could occur anytime hence there was the need for intensified public education on measures to mitigate the effects should they occur.

On fire disasters, the Eastern Regional Fire Officer, Mr William Brown-Acquaye in a presentation read on his behalf, announced that between January and September, this year, the Region recorded 169 various fires with damage to property estimated at about 1.5 billion cedis.

There were 98 domestic, 38 bush and 28 vehicular fires. He said, even though, the statistics for this year showed a marked reduction of bushfires from 40 per cent in 2000 to 28 per cent this year, Mr Brown-Acquaye stressed the need for much efforts by all sections of the society to sustain the avoidance of their incidence. He said the Service had, to date, trained 5,880 fire volunteers in the Region and formed Fire Prevention Out-Reach Unit engaged in house-to-house and market visitations to educate the people on domestic fire hazards and methods of preventing them.

The Eastern Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police, Mr J. K. Amoah, who spoke on motor accidents, said between January and September, last year, the Region recorded 857 motor accidents involving 1,145 vehicles resulting in 228 deaths and 1,498 injuries.

He said as a result of intensified efforts by the Eastern Regional Road Safety Committee this year, the statistics for the same period indicated 807 accidents involving 1,005 vehicles with 112 deaths and 743 injuries.

He said 674 drivers, who violated various traffic regulations had been fined 94,360 million cedis by the courts this year. The Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Seth Ahyia noted that studies indicated that most common disasters in the country were human-induced.

He said due to poverty, ignorance, lack of foresight and proper planning the nation was heading towards the crisis point.

To help turn the tide on disasters for sustainable development, he said, the NADMO in the Region had so far formed 204 Disaster Volunteer Corps of 30 members each and trained them for disaster management and to engage in agricultural projects to raise their own income.

He said the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) recently donated farm inputs including Wellington boots, cutlasses, maize and vegetable seeds to 45 of the Corps made up mostly of returnees from the Cote d'Ivoire in the 15 the districts of the Region.