A rainstorm, Friday afternoon, destroyed the roof of a Smart Green School located at Umunko, Igbo-Etiti Local Government of Enugu State.
The storm followed a heavy downpour which also caused other havocs in some parts of the state.
The storm, THE WHISTLER learned, destroyed the entire roof of the building complex, its windows and other facilities.
“We are marvelled at this level of destruction,” says Chibuike Obodo, a resident. “The structure has looked solid, but somehow, it has caved in. We appeal to the state government to immediately begin the reconstruction. The damage will disrupt the commencement of academic activities in the school. We are not happy, but we thank God that no life was lost.”
Another resident, Janet Ogbodo, demanded thorough monitoring of the building. “We’ve heard news about the collapse and destruction of some of these newly-built smart green schools by storms. The original ones built around 1983 by former Gov Jim Nwobodo are still strong while these new ones are falling apart. It is isolated, but we need quality assurance. If this incident occurs when students are in the building, you could have managed the level of damage. Probably, some of these buildings shouldn’t have been upstairs.”
In another development, the flood caused by the downpour obstructed vehicular movement along Enugu-Nsukka road by Ugwuoye axis. “This flood has been occurring for over four years,” according to Okechukwu Israel, a resident. “We feel neglected all this while. It is only this year that the authorities of Nsukka LGA began to evacuate the debris that blocked the waterways. Unfortunately, the intervention began too late, close to the commencement of the rainy season. The efforts seem now in vain because cleared gutters have been blocked again by refuse.”
It was learnt that a burial ceremony hosted at the field Saint John Catholic Church, Nsukka, was disrupted by the flood. “The ceremony was literally a shadow of itself,” according to one Joseph Ogbonna. “The field of the churches, where the event held, was flooded before the event. The organisers used pumping machines to evacuate the water. When they began to erect facilities for the event, including rugs and other decoration facilities, the rain began again, and nothing was salvaged.”
He appealed to the state government to salvage the situation. “The LGA can’t handle the intervention. The road was constructed by RCC. Why can’t government ask the same company to fix it? They are sending casual contractors. That is why the problem persists.”
