Kunle ADELABU
-Badly injured students moved to LASUTH
The Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Education District II, Mr Ebenezer Olusanya, has stated that his administration is working towards making the Lagos State Government intervene in the infrastructural deficit in Ipakodo Community Junior Secondary School, Ipakodo in Ikorodu division, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria.
He spoke with our reporter on Thursday(today) while supervising the movement of students of Ipakodo Community Junior School that were evacuated from other threatening blocks of classrooms in the school to a temporary structure at Majidun Secondary School, Ogolonto in Ikorodu.
One of the old block of classrooms, built by the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, had collapsed on students on Tuesday (June 25, 2019) and injured six students while many others escaped unhurt.
A Marcolopo bus with registration number LA 231 A06, belonging to the Teachers, was seen moving students from Ipakodo Secondary School gate to Majidun Secondary School which, we gathered, would serve as temporary accommodation for them.
“We are doing everything possible to get across to the appropriate quarters over the matter. We are going to write formally today and see to it that something is done quickly”, Mr Olusanya stated.
“We have no doubt that our government will act quickly”.
On the wall that collapsed on the students, Mr Olusanya stated that :
“It is very unfortunate that the incident occurred. It was a portion of the structure that caved in and we are working towards rectifying the unfortunate development and prevent future reoccurrence”.
Speaking on the allegation that several letters have been written by the school, old students, community and the representative of Ikorodu Constituency I on the state of the collapsed structure, the Tutor-General denied knowledge of any letter.
“If those letters had been written to the previous administration, my office is not in the know. We are used to following up our requests and ensure that they are done within time.
“Even if we say that the government has not responded to requests to provide infrastructures at the school (Ipakodo Junior Secondary School), it is the same government that has provided this edifice (pointing to an ultra modern two storey blocks of classrooms at Majidun Secondary School) and others across Ikorodu and other areas of the state “.
Responding to our reporter’s concern on why the marked structures in Ipakodo Community School are yet to be pulled down three days after the unfortunate incident, the TG/PS stated that they are going to pull them down as soon as possible.
“We actually want the Ministry officials to see the state of the structures before taking an action.
“You can see that this structure was just pulled down (pointing to an old structure at Majidun School that was pulled down yesterday). Now that the officials have come to inspect the structures, we are not going to waste any more time in pulling them down”, he assured.
Meanwhile, the two students that were badly injured in the incident have been moved to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, while the four others with less critical injuries have been discharged after treatments.
THE IMPACT gathered that the two students are unable to walk due to the impact of the collapsed wall on them.
