Students at the Metallurgical Training Institute in Onitsha, Anambra State, have initiated large-scale nonviolent protests against flooding, which they claim has taken over the university and halted academic and non-academic activity.
According to The PUNCH, President of the institution’s Student Union Government, Chigozie Onyenyili, while lamenting the current situation faced by students, stated that they have been forced to stay awake every night due to flooded hostels and the subsequent destruction of their belongings.
The rising water levels, he claimed, have inundated students’ mattresses, causing them a great deal of inconvenience and concern.
Onyenyili stated that the Federal Government-owned institution’s continual flooding was exacerbated since government contractors demolished their existing drainage system in order to install a new one, but they failed to come up with any alternative solutions to halt the flooding.
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 [system] 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 now, the whole institution is flooded. Students properties 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 need for them to bring in more personnel to commence the work so that normal activities will resume at the institution.”
Speaking with journalists, a student who identified herself as Nkiru, also lamented that the flood damaged their laptops, mobile phones, learning equipment, beds, and also carried their pots of soup.
“Our properties are damaged. 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 rainwater has filled the whole place.”
According to the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Owoh Ugochukwu, the responsibility for the development is attributed to the Anambra State government.
Ugochukwu observed that the state government diverted the flow of water from the surrounding areas towards the school while failing to construct adequate drainage measures.
