The Ebonyi State Government has directed all students residing at a twin 3-storey hostel building called Pentagon Lodge, to immediately vacate the facility following its partial collapse and the danger posed to students’ safety.
Briefing journalists shortly after inspecting the damaged part of the building, the State Commissioners for Capital City Development, Chief Sunday Inyima, his Housing counterpart, Mr. Francis Ori and that of Internal Security, Chief Eta Uka said security agencies have been mobilised to ensure compliance by the students.
They noted that the State Government has also provided an alternative accommodation for male and the female students within the school environment.
The government officials added that preliminary investigation disclosed that the building is no longer safe for any student, stressing that nobody can certain what will happen next.
“We must commend the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru for his proactive stand on the building collapse. Immediately he got information on the collapsed building, he mobilised the commissioners of the relevant ministries to visit the scene and ascertain the level of destruction.
“We came here, first sealed off the building and directed all students residing in the Hostel to vacate immediately. We didn’t stop at that, through the collaboration of the School Management, we were able to get them an alternative accommodation inside the school.
“We have set up a panel of inquiry to look at the remote and immediate cause of the collapse. The panel is to also look at the welfare of the students that has been displaced. We have also commence investigation and Integrity Test on the building. We need to ascertain what actually happened and by Monday, we intend to submit the report to the Governor,” Inyima said.
He added that the Commissioner for Internal Security has been directed to mobilise security agencies to ensure that no student is seen around that building. “We can’t afford to loss anyone.
“It would be recalled that over 70 students occupying a hostel escaped death by the whiskers following the partial collapse of the 3 storey hostel housing them collapsed at Izzangbo Ohankwu Village, near the university in Ikwo,” he noted.
An Eyewitness who spoke to LEADERSHIP under anonymity explained that the collapsed hostel had earlier trapped two students who were urgently rescued by first responders.
Reacting to the incident, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Sunday Elom lamented how private buildings were constructed without proper supervision, monitoring and enforcement of building codes by relevant agencies.
He warned that if not checked, such incidents may lead to further avoidable disasters.
He called on relevant government agencies to ensure strict enforcement of construction standards to avoid indiscriminate collapse, which may lead to injury or loss of lives and property.
Professor Elom therefore called on the Ebonyi State government to institute a full investigation into the collapse to ascertain the likely causes in order to sanction culpable persons, and to serve as deterrent to corrupt regulators, contractors, engineers and others who may have cut corners, leading to the disaster.
The Vice-Chancellor sympathised with the affected students who might have lost or have their property trapped in the rubbles, while thanking God for preserving them, as there was no loss life lost.
He further assured of his administration’s support to the affected students, directing them to liaise with the Student Union Government and the Dean of Students Affairs for proper documentation, and immediate support from the management.
“The hostel does not belong to the University. Though it was housing some students as at the time of collapse,” he explained.
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