89 Schools Affected as Floods Ravage Adamawa State

18 Sep 2012

Adamawa flood

Matthew Onah

Following the massive floods in the state in the last few days, the Adamawa State Government has indefinitely postponed the resumption of schools in the state for the new academic year.

The state, which has appealed to the Federal Government and other private and multilateral organisations for assistance, said 89 schools have been washed away by the floods in recent weeks.

The floods, which are ravaging many states in the North, leading to the displacement of thousands from their homes and the death of dozens of people, is threatening to cut off the state from other parts of the country, as the two culverts on the Yola-Gombe Road, situated at Ngbalang, near the Numan bridge-head, were partially washed away on Friday.

Commissioner for Education, Mr. Gabriel Hamman-Adama, said in Yola yesterday that the indefinite closure of the schools had become necessary as a total of 89 primary and secondary schools have so far been submerged across Adamawa in the ongoing flood disaster ravaging the state. The schools were billed to resume for a new academic year Monday.

In addition, over 48 other schools have been taken over as camps by communities displaced by the flood disaster.

“About 89 primary and secondary schools are seriously submerged in the flood to the extent that you cannot get to these schools right now,” Hamman-Adama said.
He explained that the development had forced the ministry to shift the resumption date for government schools in the state until when it is able to restore normalcy that will ensure a conducive atmosphere for both school children and their teachers.

“We have held a meeting with stakeholders and resolved that the initial resumption date of Monday, September 17, be shifted indefinitely until the situation improves,” Hamman-Adama said.

He said if the floods do not recede by October, the ministry would be forced to merge students from the submerged schools and those converted to camps with those in schools that are not affected.

Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the State Emergency Committee on the Flood Disaster, Chief Kobis Ari-Thimnu, also appealed to the Federal Government and other organisations to come urgently to the assistance of the people of the state, as the magnitude of the disaster is far beyond the scope of the state government.

He told reporters that the flooding was compounded by the opening of the sluice gates at the Dadin-Kowa and Kiri Dams in Gombe and Adamawa States, respectively.

He stated that with Rivers Benue and Gongola overflowing their banks as well as excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroun and the Dadin- Kowa and  Kiri Dams,  the state is literally  submerged.

SOURCE: ThisDay, 18 September 2012. http://www.thisdaylive.com