The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has issued a final 14-day ultimatum to occupants of structurally weak buildings in the Central Region to vacate the premises or face forced demolition, with the cost of demolition to be borne by property owners.
The directive follows recent flooding, mudslides, landslides and building collapses across the region, which have claimed 18 lives and affected more than 5,000 people in 13 districts.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the Central Regional Director of NADMO, Emmanuel Kwesi Dawood, said authorities could no longer tolerate delays in evacuating structures that pose serious threats to lives and property.
According to him, many of the affected buildings had long been identified as structurally unsound and marked for demolition. However, repeated appeals from landlords, landladies and families seeking additional time to secure alternative accommodation had slowed enforcement efforts.
Mr. Dawood noted that some occupants have repeatedly requested grace periods but have shown little intention of leaving the dangerous structures, despite the risks involved.
He explained that several weakened buildings have collapsed on their own, causing fatalities, while others have fallen onto adjacent structures, resulting in injuries and extensive damage.
To avert further loss of life, NADMO has given occupants a final two-week grace period to voluntarily evacuate and undertake demolitions at their own expense.
He warned that once the 14-day period expires, authorities will proceed with compulsory demolition of any occupied residential or commercial structure deemed unsafe, with owners required to cover the associated costs.
Mr. Dawood attributed the increasing number of building collapses to the age and poor state of many structures in the region, some of which were constructed more than a century ago using swish and sand and have received little or no maintenance over the years.
According to him, the deteriorating condition of these buildings poses a significant danger to residents.
NADMO says the evacuation exercise forms part of broader efforts to safeguard lives and property following a series of weather-related disasters that have highlighted the vulnerability of aging infrastructure in the Central Region.
