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Ofankor Building Collapse: Occupants of a three-story building narrowly escape death | JoyNews Prime (24-9-23)

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Transcript
00:00 Hello you all, live on Joiners Prime coming to you live from our studios in
00:03 Kokomo, Maine. We are also live on DSTV Channel 421, GOTV 124 and around the
00:09 globe at myjoyonline.com. Remember to catch us on your digital television set
00:14 because we are free to air. Good evening to you, my name is Carlos Kalani. Now
00:19 coming up, occupants of a three-story building in Ofangco narrowly escaped
00:23 death a few hours before the entire structure suddenly collapses to the
00:28 ground. We have details as we head to the community.
00:33 An occupied Jolobi House protester stayed late into the night on Saturday
00:45 to demand better economic conditions as they bring their three days
00:50 demonstration to a close. We have a wrap of how the protest ended. Also, Poon
01:01 Katamanso Municipal Assembly says its ability to respond to emergency cases
01:06 such as flooding has been compounded by the taking away of its mandate to
01:11 collect property rates, a major source of raising funds to attend to such cases.
01:18 We have details of these and more including business coming in this hour.
01:24 Please stay tuned.
01:44 Thank you so much for joining us here on Join us Prime. Now occupants of a
01:48 three-story building located in Ofangco in Accra narrowly escaped death
01:52 yesterday morning a couple of hours before the entire structure suddenly
01:56 crashed down. Eyewitness accounts suggest the occupants suspected weakness in the
02:01 structure and a slight caving in of a portion. Noticing the imminent danger, the
02:06 occupants quickly packed out of the building at about 9 a.m. Saturday
02:10 September 23 to safety. Around 11 a.m. the same day the entire structure
02:15 suddenly crashed down leaving many residents in shock. As if the collapse
02:21 was time, the resident is seen recording the spontaneous crashing down of the
02:25 structure. A Join You team visited the scene this afternoon with the hope to
02:29 get a first-hand account of what actually happened but was chased away by
02:34 some well-built individuals believed to be land guards were busy clearing the
02:39 rubble. Now the reporter Prince Kuduga joins us live with more. Prince, where
02:44 exactly at Ofangco did the building collapse?
02:50 Okay and so tell us these individuals who stopped you from filming the
03:07 incident for the news what were they doing there?
03:12 These individuals were heavily armed and numbered about five. The moment they saw our team arrive, they told us we could not film or record anything from the site. So I asked them further why and they said they were acting on orders from the above that they should
03:28 police the site. No media should be allowed anywhere near the site. They threatened to destroy our equipment if we insist on filming.
03:37 All right thank you so much Prince for those updates. Now the National Fire
03:42 Service visited the scene yesterday after the incident and Assistant Chief
03:46 Fire Officer Timothy Osafo-Effo is the Director of Public Relations at the
03:51 Fire Service and he joins us as well soon with more. Good evening and thank you so
03:55 much for your time. You have been to the place. What did you gather in your
04:00 preliminary assessment of the incident?
04:05 Thank you very much. I think yesterday around 1 p.m. we got the information so
04:14 we quickly rushed in there with our team. When we got there we realized that the
04:20 stories we were hearing was true and so we approached the residents in the
04:26 facility and we were told that when they woke up in the morning around 9 a.m.
04:33 they noticed some cracks in the columns of the building and from them it seems
04:41 as if the building was sinking and so they alerted each other and they evacuated
04:48 the premises only for the premises to go down within some 30 minutes after they
04:53 have evacuated the place. All right so any idea who owns the place and how many
04:58 people perhaps were living there?
05:02 Yes, there are...
05:07 The place is an old place that has been occupied. However, there is some
05:15 extension that is this new building that was coming up and so the building was
05:22 not being occupied at the time of the collapse because it was still under
05:27 construction. What we gathered was that for about two months now no work has
05:32 been done on the building and so that is what alerted them on the cracks that
05:39 they observed that morning. What we anticipate is that it was as a result of
05:46 the heavy rains on Friday and so what we are thinking is that normally when we
05:54 are putting up such structures you need to do what we call soil tests to
06:00 determine whether where you are putting up the building it can the soil can
06:04 sustain the weight of the building. I'm sure this was not done and while there
06:09 was that heavy downpour the soil became very loose as a result of the rainfall
06:17 and therefore one side began to sink and once it happens that way the
06:24 soil is lost. Hello?
06:28 All right so we bring you this story from a fan core where a three-story building
06:40 actually collapsed yesterday and the Ghana fire service officials have been
06:47 there and they've been giving us updates on what exactly happened yesterday and
06:52 the official has been giving us updates on that telling us that probably could
06:57 be due to the rains that happened on Friday. Unfortunately our lines had some
07:02 issues there. We'll try to reconnect and update you with that particular
07:09 happening at Ofanko which occurred yesterday.
07:15 [Silence]
07:17 Now we're from the story after three days of protests members of pressure group
07:30 Democracy Hub as well as some sympathizers blocked major streets in the
07:34 capital demanding an end to corruption, mismanagement of the economy and
07:38 unemployment. They stayed late into the night demanding removal of barricades in
07:43 their way so they could protest at the frontage of the Jubilee House. Maxwell
07:48 Agbagba has a wrap of the last day of the protest.
07:52 The protesters singing Arise Ghana Youth as they block a car filled with personnel
08:01 of the Ghana prison service.
08:05 [Singing]
08:07 The leader of the delegation pleaded but the demonstrators would not barge.
08:24 [Protestors singing]
08:26 [Protestors singing]
08:29 [Protestors singing]
08:56 Hundreds of vehicles were forced to use long alternative routes as the main 37
09:02 military hospital road became inaccessible. Negotiations between
09:05 Director of Police, Welfare, COP, Habib Achoumissi and the protesters to
09:10 declare the main road failed to reach a compromise. Many influential persons were
09:16 there to lend support to the protesters. Some of them were criticized on social
09:20 media for not openly declaring support for the demonstrators. Hip-hop musician
09:25 Kwau Kesi says some of his colleagues in the entertainment industry are alleged
09:29 to be in close ties with the government which is why they cannot openly
09:33 criticize.
09:35 [Protestors singing]
09:57 Musician Stoneboy says Ghanaians want to see a change in the current state of affairs.
10:03 [Protestors singing]
10:06 [Protestors singing]
10:09 The motorway with the tolls that have been taken from years. I lost my knee to the
10:13 accident on a motorway. And you listed out that one of the reasons why you decided to
10:17 join this protest. It's a major reason that I can never forget. I walk with a titanium
10:20 knee replacement in my leg. How can I ever forget that happened to me? And even
10:24 up to today people still die off of the motorway. Tires are blasting and all of
10:28 that. Have we not raised enough revenue to be able to fix the motorway that
10:32 Kwame Nkrumah built from yesterday? Yes. And I'm not standing here in the name of
10:36 MPP, NDC or CPP or KKP. We are tired. We are what? Tired. We are what? Tired.
10:44 As the sun disappeared from the sky, the agitation to protest at the frontage of
10:49 the Jubilee House became stronger. But hundreds of police officers made sure
10:53 the demonstrators did not get close to the Jubilee House as they resorted to
10:58 singing protest and freedom songs.
11:00 [Protestors singing]
11:24 What's your name? Naseeba. Naseeba. You're very angry. I'm very angry. What's your story?
11:32 I am very angry. I'm more angry at this morning. People are dying each day.
11:38 The dialysis machine in Kolebu Gotspo. Do you know the number of people who died?
11:43 A 24 year old boy died this morning. His father is a teacher. His father is a teacher.
11:49 He gave over 30 years of his life to the service. Could not afford transplants.
11:54 Could not afford dialysis. 400 cities a week. What do you mean? Do you know how much taxes
12:00 they chuck out every day? The cost of living. But you bring him flowers for your
12:05 daughter's birthday. You bring a cake to celebrate his birthday. God will judge the government.
12:10 [Protestors singing]
12:14 Community mobiliser for Fix the Country, Oliver Barker, former worker, is optimistic
12:18 that the protest will mark the beginning of a change.
12:21 On the dry, arid and concrete asphalt of a road that leads to a house of shame,
12:28 I have found family here. A family born out of adversity but united by our diversity.
12:36 We stand here as a reminder that we have built a new coalition of young people.
12:42 A coalition that understands the value of resilience and the belief in justice.
12:48 Today we stand here on the precipice of change. We gather in the spirit of African resilience
12:54 and determination. We are reminded of the Ghanaian spirit, the never-dying Ghanaian spirit
13:01 that has shaped the course of history to remind us that yes, we can.
13:06 Ghana, our youth and their commitment have shown us that the dream of a new Ghana is possible.
13:14 Together we have shown Ghana that the call for justice and freedom cannot be silenced.
13:21 Now the police in a statement said it is looking forward to a meeting with leadership of the protesters.
13:29 Away from that story, the Kunkata Mansu Municipal Assembly is hapless in responding to emergency cases
13:35 that occur in the municipality. Now responding to concerns of the Assembly members grappling
13:40 with the aftermath of last Friday's flooding in the municipality, the Municipal Chief Executive
13:45 for the area, Samuel Okuamankwa, said the Assembly is contemplating collaborating
13:50 with the National Disaster Management Organization, NADMU, because it cannot bear the weight
13:55 of responsibility alone. According to him, the Assembly's inability to attend to the flood victims,
14:00 among other emergency cases, has been compounded by the taking away of its mandate
14:05 of collecting property rates, which is a major source of raising funds to support the process
14:10 of the municipality.
14:12 The Assembly, you know, it's NADMU. We have given everything to NADMU.
14:18 Assembly as it is now, will team up with NADMU and see what is feasible
14:24 in the shortest possible time. But Assembly on its own has nothing ready to give out.
14:30 What we want to do is to liaise with NADMU, because you know disaster issues,
14:36 it's NADMU that has to come in quickly and then we see what to do.
14:41 And we are linking the region and national as well in this case.
14:46 But when it comes to the Assembly, because of the property rate that we are no longer
14:52 charging, collecting, it has rendered the Assembly helpless in most of the things.
14:59 Now regarding the abandoned culverts in the area, the MC said the Urban Rules Department
15:04 is responsible for it fixing.
15:07 That particular area, we've gone there to survey the whole area.
15:13 Especially when we worked on the Badi Aku Bridge, we realised the trouble would not go
15:21 to the pottery farm culverts. Because the moment the Badi Aku Bridge was fixed,
15:28 and people can now go about doing their business, we realised that downstream
15:36 the trouble will be there. So we quickly went to Urban Rules, that is the regional Urban Rules.
15:45 They came in with their technical men, we went to their site, we looked at it,
15:51 they did their feasibility studies, and they told us to come to help fix that issue.
15:59 Unfortunately, they've not been able to do so.
16:04 So it is unfortunate that this rain came down heavily and the whole place is flooded.
16:12 So I share in the woes of the people, and myself I'm disappointed because it's been long
16:20 since we brought the Urban Rules engineers to come and have a look at it.
16:26 And what they told us has not happened.
16:29 Let's now take you to the Ashanti region, where family members of former Bantama MP
16:35 Daniel Ochey Mabuay are still in shock following his demise.
16:39 The former legislator was confirmed dead on Saturday at the Kung Fu Anoche teaching hospital
16:44 after a short illness. Nanae Ojima visited the family home and filed this report.
16:49 Family gathered to mourn the former MP.
16:56 Close associates of Daniel Ochey Mabuay joined in mourning at the family home.
17:02 In tears, they speak of his good deeds.
17:05 [Crying]
17:12 [Crying]
17:19 Spokesperson Openyi Kwame Adomakun managed a few words.
17:24 What has happened is true.
17:30 All we can say is that although the head of the family and other key figures are not present at the moment,
17:36 we can only confirm and say the family has had a great loss.
17:41 Our brother is gone and it's shocking to us.
17:44 Between 2016 and 2020, Daniel Ochey Mabuay just served as Member of Parliament for Bantama constituency.
17:58 In Parliament, he was a member of the Finance Committee due to knowledge in the area.
18:03 Here are some of the political associates in Bantama constituency.
18:08 It's very saddening. My heart is broken, I swear.
18:11 Because I never expected Honorable to pass on this early age.
18:16 Because Honorable has been inspirational to me.
18:19 Anybody I know, anybody around me knows that Honorable has been inspirational to me.
18:24 So, in several occasions, I'm even short of words because Honorable, I don't know what to say again, bro.
18:31 I'm very, very, very sad. Very, very, very sad.
18:36 Because Ochey was my everything. My personal, my everything.
18:44 He's my godfather. My everything. I was a former youth organiser, MPP, Bantama MPP youth organiser.
18:52 After exiting from Parliament, the MP continued to serve the MPP as a communicator.
18:58 He owned some businesses in the Ashanti region and popular among them is 2M Express and MJI Microfinance.
19:05 For JOY News, Nana Yaujima, reporting.
19:09 Let's head to the Otey region where the chief and people of the Bwafere community in that region have lauded JOY News for initiating the JOY News Impact Makers Award.
19:19 They are optimistic the award will be expanded to celebrate more selfless individuals working to enhance development.
19:26 Speaking at a deba to honour Richard Oko Mensah, honoree of the maiden edition of the JOY News Impact Makers Award,
19:33 the people of Bwafere and beneficiaries of awardees interventions express gratitude to JOY News for the recognition given their benefactor.
19:42 Now, Richard Oko was honoured for his contribution to agriculture and social welfare.
19:47 He founded several organisations to support smallholder farmers in his community.
19:52 He is the president of the National Beekeepers Association, CEO of Community Development Challenge and board chair of WIND BG.
20:00 His social interventions have impacted the course of life.
20:03 Now, JOY News' Peter Sennum was with Richard Oko in Bwafere and reports.
20:08 I'm so overwhelmed by the award given to me by JOY News, the JOY Impact Makers Award.
20:15 The award is now bringing the energy in me and then in everyone, not to limit ourselves to just Bwafere,
20:23 and even not into just in Chumuru traditional area alone, but they are looking at the region as well.
20:30 But you know, other regions are also looking at it because it's not only the region that I work.
20:37 So, the demand is becoming stronger. It's a challenge, but it's a welcome challenge and we are so grateful for it.
20:45 When this was announced, I told them, they woke up, they watched the programme during the presentation all throughout.
20:52 And when I told them I'm bringing the award to them, the entire community came up together.
20:59 My team here, the farmers here, very, very dedicated.
21:03 And the evidence is there for everyone to see.
21:07 But as they have been saying, now they are ready to support me to expand this project.
21:13 [Music]
21:42 [Music]
21:49 [Speaking in Swahili]
22:18 [Speaking in Swahili]
22:28 This is what the chiefs and the people have to say at the Deba.
22:34 This award given to the manager is very significant to the area and in Chumuru in particular.
22:49 Because if we had not cooperated very well with them, we wouldn't have come.
22:54 So, we thank the George for distributing the information to Ghana.
23:04 And we hope the project will continue, expansion will go on, land will be given, and water supply will also be given to our people.
23:15 We thank you very much for giving this award.
23:18 I hope the next time you come, the award will be bigger than this.
23:24 Thanks for watching Joining Us Prime. With me, Carlos Kelowni.
23:28 We take a break. We'll return with business. Please stay with us.
23:31 [Music]
23:45 That's all we have in this package. You can log on to myjoyonline.com for more stories.
23:51 My name is Carlos Kelowni. Thank you so much for watching. Have a great evening.
23:56 [Music]

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