If lives and vital property are to be protected in countries prone to earthquakes, seismic risk reduction measures are essential. For countries such as Ghana, where resources are limited, it is important that such safety measures be applied in all critical facilities, which include schools and hospitals. This study examines current building and maintenance standards in such facilities in the south of the country, in relation to the seismic threat. Because major earthquakes have a long return period in Ghana, the last occurring in 1939, there is widespread apathy amongst the public concerning these matters, and a tendency on the part of politicians to pursue other, more "immediate" concerns, which have a more obvious political "pay-off". By exploring these social and political factors, rather than focusing more on technical considerations, it is believed that this research will advance knowledge and generate awareness, so that more effective seismic risk protection policy may be developed and applied.