Anambra School Flood Sparks Student Protest Over Abandoned Project

Cursory: Students from the Metallurgical Training Institute in Onitsha, Nigeria, staged a peaceful protest due to severe flooding disrupting campus life. The Student Union President called for government intervention to address the chronic flooding issue, which worsened when drainage systems were altered. The flooding impacted students’ living conditions and education.

Students at the Metallurgical Training Institute in Onitsha, Anambra State, have initiated a peaceful protest due to severe flooding that has disrupted both academic and non-academic activities at their institution.

Chigozie Onyenyili, the President of the Student Union Government, addressed journalists at the school gate before the protest began, highlighting the challenges students faced, including sleepless nights due to flooded hostels.

The flooding issue arose following heavy rainfall, which not only affected the students’ living conditions but also caused damage to their property, including beds and educational materials.

Onyenyili emphasized that the ongoing flooding, which has become a recurrent problem at the Federal Government-owned institution, worsened after government contractors dismantled the existing drainage system in preparation for a new one.

Unfortunately, these contractors failed to implement alternative measures to mitigate the flooding, aggravating the situation.

He said, “Flooding has been an issue in the institution, but it was worsened because the government recently commenced flood control process by removing an existing drainage inside the school, but they didn’t put the necessary measures in place to mitigate flood.

“They commenced flood control during the rainy season, but now, they have abandoned the work, and as we speak, the entire institution is flooded. Students’ belongings are being destroyed; our beds, mattresses, learning materials, laptops, pots of soups have been washed away.

“We are embarking on this peaceful demonstration to draw the attention of the government towards our plight. The management of the institution has done its best, but we need the government to step in and continue the job which they have abandoned.

“The two machines the government brought for the job are not working and there is a need for them to bring in more personnel to commence the work so that normal activities will resume at the institution.”

During the peaceful demonstration in the community, some students of the institution were seen scooping water out of their various rooms from their hostels, while some were also trying to salvage some of their property like laptops, phones, clothes and beds from the flood.

Another student, Nkiru, who took our correspondent near the affected hostels, also lamented that the flood damaged their laptops, mobile phones, learning equipment, beds, and carried their pots of soup away.

“The flood suddenly submerged our beds and we have remained awake every night. This flood has subjected us all to pain. Other students, whose valuables are inside, have abandoned them because there is no way in and the flood has filled the whole place.”

Upon reaching out for comment, Owoh Ugochukwu, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, pointed fingers at the Anambra State Government for the situation.

Ugochukwu emphasized that the state government redirected water from Obosi, Nkpor, and Onitsha-Owerri Road, among other areas, towards the school without implementing sufficient drainage measures.

He said, “The flood issue has lingered for some years now, but the school authorities are doing their best. The flood is as a result of the state government channelling water that comes from Obosi, Nkpor, Onitsha-Owerri Road and environs down to the school.

“As we speak now, the water has covered the buildings in the school and the buildings are sinking. The students’ hostels, school mosque, church and lecture halls are under the flood. The student beds, mattresses, learning equipment and pots of soups are swimming in the flood all over the places.”

“As we speak now, the water has covered the buildings in the school and the buildings are sinking. The students’ hostels, school mosque, church and lecture halls are under the flood. The student beds, mattresses, learning equipment and pots of soups are swimming in the flood all over the places.”

Source: Punch

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