Plateau Govt Declares Three Days Of Mourning For Victims Of School Building Collapse

The Plateau State government has declared three days of mourning for the students and teachers who died in the Saint Academy School building collapse on Friday.

This was made known in a statement signed by the Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, on Saturday. Mr Ashoms said, the government ordered that all flags within the state be flown at half-mast during the three-day mourning which starts from July 13 to July 15 in honour of the school building collapse victims.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who visited the school on Saturday, extended his heartfelt condolences to families affected by the devastating incident and urged citizens to strictly follow building codes and ethics to prevent such tragedies.

He emphasized the need for all developers and property owners to submit their building plans to the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) for verification and revalidation, as part of the enforcement of Executive Order 003.

“We offer our deepest sympathies and unwavering support to those affected during this incredibly difficult time. We are dedicated to providing the best possible medical care for the injured and will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the collapse,” 

“The safety and well-being of our citizens, especially our children, is our top priority. We urge all schools to comply with safety regulations and secure the necessary approvals from the JMDB before beginning any construction projects.”

Muftwang has also announced immediate closure of Saint Academy School and ordered full investigation into the building collapse.

“It is unfortunate what has happened but of course what it means is that this school is closed down immediately. We can’t take any further chances and we need to send this message particularly to owners of private schools.

“The motive for profit must not overshadow the safety of lives. And so we are going to take steps immediately to do a technical audit of all the schools, we are going to test their structural integrity to ensure that human beings can inhabit such buildings,” the governor said.

In the last report, twenty two persons were confirmed dead, fifty eight persons are in the hospital receiving treatment while the rest have been treated and discharged.