by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has received the report of the committee instituted to investigate the collapse of the St. Academy School building in Jos.
He has also pledged to ensure that all building infrastructure in the state undergo rigorous integrity tests, in order to prevent future tragedies.
While receiving the report at the Twins Theatre, New Government House, Jos, with the Deputy Governor, Hon. Mrs Josephine Piyo, Governor Mutfwang commended the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Danladi Slim Matawal, and the other members for their “thorough and insightful work,” describing the report as a critical guide for government actions.
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 ascertaining 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 governor stated.
He added thus: “The committee was tasked with investigating the causes of building collapses across the state and recommending measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
“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 property in Plateau State, emphasizing that negligence and illegal activities will not be tolerated.
Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Danladi Slim Matawal, 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.