By My Engineers
In the wake of the tragic St. Academy School building collapse that claimed 22 lives and injured 11, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has taken decisive action to prevent future disasters and address illegal property acquisition.
The governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, in a statement on Wednesday, said that while receiving the report at the Twins Theatre, New Government House, Jos, with Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo; the governor commended the committee’s chairman, Prof. Danladi Matawal, and other members for their thorough and insightful work. He described the report as a critical guide for government action.
Recall that Governor Mutfwang has tasked a committee to investigate the causes of the building collapse and assess the structural integrity of the Jos Main Market and Rockland Hotel. The committee’s report, which was presented to the Governor, revealed that the school management failed to obtain necessary approvals for the building.
In response to these findings, the Governor has vowed to implement stringent measures to ensure public safety. He has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and plans to introduce stricter building regulations to prevent similar incidents.
The governor pledged to ensure that all building infrastructures in the state undergo rigorous integrity tests to prevent future tragedies.
It can be recalled that the two-storey building housing a school — Saint Academy in the Busa Buji community, Jos North Local Government Area — claimed 22 lives, with about 154 persons trapped.
In addition to their initial mandate, the Governor directed the committee to extend its scope to include assessments of the Jos Main Market and the Rockland Hotel in Laminga. This move is aimed at ascertainimg the structural integrity of these facilities for timely interventions.
“When we set up this committee, it was during a very critical moment in the history of our state. We had just come out of mourning the loss of 22 precious children in the St. Academy School building collapse. The committee was tasked with investigating the causes of building collapses across the state and recommending measures to prevent such tragedies in the future,” the Governor stated.
He further added: “Your work is not yet complete. I expect you to assess the Rockland Hotel. Let’s conduct integrity tests on the building to determine the way forward.”
Governor Mutfwang also issued a strong warning to individuals in illegal possession of government property, directing them to vacate such properties immediately or face severe consequences.
He announced plans to establish a task force before the end of the month to investigate and recover all government-owned properties illegally acquired across the state.
“Anyone in possession of government property acquired unlawfully should surrender it immediately. A task force will be constituted to recover these properties, and those involved in illegal sales or acquisitions will face justice. Be it fraudulent letters of authority or unlawfully obtained certificates of occupancy, we will uncover the truth and take decisive action,” the Governor declared.
He also highlighted plans to restructure and strengthen the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) for improved service delivery.
Governor Mutfwang reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives and properties in Plateau State, emphasizing that negligence and illegal activities will not be tolerated.
Prof. Danladi Slim Matawal, the Committee Chairman, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the opportunity to serve. He described the assignment as emotionally challenging, given the tragic accounts of the 22 lives lost and 11 others injured due to the building collapse.
Prof. Matawal disclosed that the management of St. Academy School failed to provide architectural drawings or government approval for the collapsed structure. He said the committee among others, recommended that the Plateau State Government should take decisive actions to prevent future occurrences of such incidents.
The report, presented in three volumes, details the findings and recommendations of the committee: Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 has the Main Report, while Volume 3 contains Memoranda and other documents.