The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has directed an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the collapse of the Saint Academy School building in Jos, Plateau State, which occurred on Friday, July 12, 2024.
This was made known in a statement released by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media & Strategy, Mark Chieshe on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
Describing the collapse as a national tragedy, Dangiwa condemned the negligence that led to the incident. “Unfortunately, the issue of building collapse has once again reared its ugly head in our nation. This is unacceptable because every time something like this happens, there’s a mother or father who has lost a child, a child who has lost a parent, or an individual who has lost a sibling or friend,” he stated.
He emphasized the irreplaceable loss caused by such tragedies, noting, “The cost of building collapse cannot be quantified because lives are involved. In this case, it was a school with students whose only offense was to leave their homes in search of knowledge. This is totally unacceptable.”
Arc. Dangiwa has directed Ministry officials to conduct a thorough investigation. “I have directed an investigation, and we will get to the bottom of this. I want to assure Nigerians that this investigation will not go the same way as others in the past where nobody is prosecuted for wrongdoing. We will ensure anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law,” he assured.
The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) reported that over 40 students have been rescued from the rubble, with many still hospitalized. “We will allow rescue operations to be concluded by NEMA, and we hope that we will not record any more casualties,” Dangiwa said.
Expressing his condolences, he added, “I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of those whose lives were cut short by this unfortunate and preventable tragedy. It is a national loss, and we share in their grief. For those in the hospital, our prayers and thoughts are with them, and we wish them a good recovery, while we charge the health personnel to rise to the occasion and save these precious lives.”
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The Minister also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to preventing future building collapses by enforcing strict building standards and regulations in collaboration with relevant agencies. “As a result of the complexity of the housing sector, the Ministry has to collaborate with agencies of government to promote the enforcement of building codes. We will not relent in this commitment to ensure that Nigerians can sleep in their homes, work at their various places of business, or even learn in their schools with peace of mind knowing that the building will not collapse on them,” he affirmed.
