Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has received the report of the committee instituted to investigate the collapse of the St. Academy School building in Jos.
The Governor, while receiving the report at the Twins Theatre, New Government House, in Jos alongside his deputy, Hon. Mrs Josephine Piyo, commended the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Danladi Slim Matawal, and other members of the committee for their thorough and insightful work, describing the report as a critical guide for government actions.
“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 has also pledged to ensure that all building infrastructure in the state undergo rigorous integrity tests to prevent future tragedies.
The governor 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.”
He also strongly warned individuals in illegal possession of government property, directing them to vacate such properties immediately or face severe consequences.
Mutfwang further 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 said.
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, emphasising that negligence and illegal activities will not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, the Committee Chairman, Prof. Matawal described the assignment as emotionally challenging, given the tragic accounts of the 22 lives lost and 11 others injured due to the building collapse.
He disclosed that the management of St. Academy School failed to provide architectural drawings or government approval for the collapsed structure.
Matawal also 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 with Volume 1 containing the executive summary; Volume 2 containing the main report, while Volume 3 contains memoranda and other documents.
