Poor Building Practices Could Turn Earthquake into Disaster -Bempong  

Ing. Kwabena Bempong, an Engineering Practitioner at Associated Consultants Limited, cautioned on Tuesday at MC-Bauchemie Ghana Limited's 10th Anniversary Symposium that Ghana risks devastating consequences if a major earthquake strikes, unless building regulations are strictly enforced and construction standards are adhered to. He asked, "If we were to experience an earthquake of about 7.0 on the Richter scale today, will our buildings hold?" The symposium was held under the theme: "From Concrete Time Bombs to Building Century-Ready Cities; Navigating Structural Safety, Accountability and Climate Resilience in Ghana's Built Environment."

Ing. Bempong recalled that Ghana's most devastating earthquake occurred in 1939, measuring about 6.9 on the Richter scale. He explained that engineers design buildings to ensure structures remain stable long enough to prevent deaths when earthquakes occur, not to stop earthquakes. He noted that many fatalities during the 1939 earthquake were caused by unsecured building elements and falling objects, rather than complete structural collapse. The symposium was broadcast live on Accra-based Citi FM and monitored by The Chronicle.