On Tuesday 17 September, 2024 the Hon Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh paid a working visit to the tragic scene of the collapsed building that was used for both residential and commercial purposes at Shell New Road, East end of Freetown. Speaking at the scene, Dr Jalloh vowed to demolish buildings that served as potential dangers for disaster. “We will not continue to accept building with a structural deficiency, with a problem that will lead to collapse similar to the Shell building disaster”, he buttressed. He disclosed plans by government to empower the Land Ministry with additional authorities to ensure enforcement and compliance because of the new building collapse phenomenon, especially the number of casualties involved in the latest collapse.
Hon Dr Jalloh expressed deep condolences on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, the Government and the people of Sierra Leone to the families of victims who lost their lives. He commended the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA), security personnel, and neighbours for their supports in the search and rescue mission. He assured of the provision of additional resources, materials support, and continuous vigorous search and rescue efforts by the Government of Sierra Leone so as to recover those people still under the rubble.
Hon Dr Jalloh vowed on behalf of government to look into issues surrounding structural deficiencies of the collapsed building and other buildings that had collapsed this year, noting that government is set to investigate the causes of the Shell collapse building with the aim of reinforcing the position of government, in order for the public to respect certain engineering structural designs and codes before they could be given permit to construct such storey building. He described the recent collapse of buildings as a new phenomenon, stressing on government determination to focus its energy on enforcement in the areas of building practices, and building requirements.
He said that government is working to elaborate the Building Code that has been absent in the country since independence. He attributed the recent building collapse in Freetown to the refusal of people to obtain Building Permits before engage in the construction of buildings mostly in dangerous places like the Shell building collapse site.
The Vice President after visiting the disaster scene continued his visit to the injured survivors at the Rokupa Government Hospital where children and other victims are receiving medical attention. “We are committed to ensuring that those who survived receive the best possible care in the hospital and that the families of the victims are given the assistance they need during this difficult time,” he assured.
The Director General of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Retired Lieutenant General Brima Bureh Sesay updated the Vice President by disclosing that sixteen people were identified from the rubble, seven survivors and nine casualties. He furthered that many of the survivors were transferred to the Rokupa Government Hospital, while those requiring advanced medical attention were transferred to the Choithram Memorial Hospital.
Michael Joseph Kanu, a community volunteer, briefed the Honourable Vice President that he and other community youths serving as volunteers have been engaged in the search and rescue operation since the collapsed of the building in the late morning hours of Monday 16 September 2024. He explained that he was able to mobilise youths to engage in the rescue mission in order to save lives and properties. He thanked the Government for its effort, and other stakeholders that have contributed in the search mission.
By: Aaron Bundu Lahai-Head of Media & Public Relations
