By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
Over 10 people are reported to have died with many injured amidst the recent spate of collapsed buildings within the Western Urban Area, according to an update read by the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah during the government’s weekly press briefing on 20th August, 2024.
Giving a summary of the tragic events, Bah said: “On the 21st July 2024 incident, a wall collapsed, killing one 38-year-old man. At SS Camp a five-storey building collapsed on 21st July 2024 at 11:30 midnight in which 8 people were trapped with 3 deaths and 5 rescued. On 23rd July 2024 at Moyiba Community a landslide occurred, six houses went under the earth, no death but 75 persons were affected. 2nd August 2024, NDMA responded to a fence that collapsed at Calaba Town, 4 fatalities were reported. On 11th August 2024 a building collapsed at Main Motor Road with a total of four people who were trapped, leaving two people dead and two rescued. On 11th August 2024 a five-storey building collapsed, leaving one dead,” Bah said.
He noted that on Monday 1st July 2024 at Devil Hole Community there was slop failure which affected 10 houses, with no death recorded, adding on 14th August 2024 another five-storey ongoing construction collapsed at Willington with no deaths recorded.
Meanwhile Deputy Director, Sierra Leone Standards Bureau, Jogor Bah in his statement at the press conference said they are working on curbing the importation of poor quality iron rods in the country amidst the spate of buildings collapsing in the Western Area.
He pointed out that importers had been informed of the quality of iron rods that should be imported, and accused some importers of indulging in reducing the length of the rods.
He said they have done over 500 tests on food and non- food products but said they needed more labs to enable them do more tests on products.
Speaking on enforcement of the law over poor condition of food and non- food items, he said the bureau and the Consumer Protection Agency have been making sure prosecutions are done in court.
Bah noted that before expired products are dumped, they work with the relevant institutions such as Ministry of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, ONS and other institutions to do their analyses before action is taken.
Deputy Minister of Trade, Fatmata Kargbo told the media how as a ministry they have presented a paper to cabinet for the local production of iron rods in Sierra Leone, which she said will start at the end of this year.
She noted that investors are working to start the first ever local iron rod production in Sierra Leone.
She said it was last year they came to realise that sub-standard iron rods have flooded the market in the country. After that discovery, she said they immediately called a meeting with the building materials importers during which they urged them to stop importing poor quality iron rods.
Kargbo said 10 stores selling poor quality iron rods were shut down and assured the public that they would do everything to ensure that the interest of the consumers is protected.
In his statement, the Chief Executive Officer, National Consumer Protection Commission (NCPC), Lawrence Bassie said they have been doing frequent monitoring in a bid to curb bad products in the market, saying they have even confiscated fake iron rods.
He demanded that construction materials be tested before they are allowed to be sold in the market, claiming most of the materials for construction are substandard.
He urged consumers to complain to the commission on issues of bad products in the market.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (21/08/24)
