Three people have been confirmed dead and 20 others rescued after an old school building collapsed in Accra Newtown on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
The building, which was a GETFund project started in 2011, had been abandoned for years and was declared unsafe and marked for demolition. Reports indicate that despite warnings from authorities, the structure was still being used for church activities.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ayawaso Central, Rudolph Collingwood Williams, had earlier cautioned the pastor against using the facility, a move that led to a public altercation. only two weeks ago, tensions escalated again as the MCE and the pastor engaged in a disagreement over the use of the building for Sunday services. The MCE’s brother was also involved in separate exchanges with the pastor over the same issue.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that moments before the collapse, a popular food vendor arrived at the premises, prompting several congregants to step outside—an occurrence believed to have reduced the number of casualties.
Among the deceased are the pastor’s wife and a young female church member, while those rescued include a one-year-old baby and a five-year-old girl.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak confirmed that the victims were part of a group gathered for a worship session when the building gave way.
