THE DEATH toll in the church building that collapsed on Tuesday at Akyem Batabi in the Asene-Manso-Akroso District of the Eastern Region, has reached 20.
Twenty-six others were rescued from the rubble after 48 hours of the deadly incident.
The six-storey building owned by the Church of Prosperity headed by Prophet Isaac Ofori, aka Akoa Isaac, collapsed during a Tuesday prayer service around 2:00pm.
Initially, it was thought that 12 people lost their lives in the accident which left many survivors injured but it turned out more victims were still trapped in the rubble.
So far, 10 women and eight men have been confirmed dead. Their remains have been deposited at the Akyem-Oda Hospital morgue pending autopsy.
The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) rescue team does not know the exact number of victims trapped but it believes more victims are trapped in the rubble.
The six-storey building which was started in 1992, suddenly collapsed Tuesday afternoon on about 60 members, who were resting after fasting and prayers.
Some of the survivors who claimed they heard the crushing sound said they were able to move to safety.
Prophet Akoa Isaac, who is assisting Police investigation, told the police in his statement that he was sick and laying in his residence on the same compound of the church when he heard the sound.
According to him, he was told that about 56 worshippers were in and around the building fasting and praying when the incident happened.
The police from Oda said when they arrived at the scene, they saw about 35 of the worshippers while a 60-year-old woman identified as Afia Tamakloe, laid dead.
The Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfour, first led a joint rescue team made up of officials of NADMO, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Police, Ambulance Service, BNI, National Security and Military to the scene.
Early yesterday, NADMO boss Eric Agyemang, together with Henry Quartey, MP and Deputy Minister for National Security, Lt. Gen. Obed Akwa, Chief of the Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Thomas Oppong Peprah, Army Commander and the Member of Parliament for the area, George Kwame Aboagye, went to access the situation.
A military helicopter brought in sniffer dogs to help complement the efforts of personnel from the 48 Engineers Regiment, NADMO, Fire Service, Ambulance Service and the Ghana Police Service in the rescue operations.
President Akufo-Addo has offered his condolences to the families of the victims, saying on his Twitter handle, “On behalf of government and the people of Ghana, I send my deepest condolences to the families of the 15 persons who lost their lives tragically in the church building that collapsed at Akim Batabi near Oda. I wish the eight injured persons speedy recovery.”
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akyem – Bataabi