UMSS: USSOSA Calls On DTSG, Airtel To Rescue Infrastructure From Total Collapse

By Daniel Dafe

Former students under the aegis of Ufuoma Mixed Secondary School Old Students’ Association (USSOSA) have called on the Delta State Government to urgently move to save the rapidly deteriorating infrastructure of its alma mater at No 91 Abeke Road, Sapele from total collapse.

The call became necessary as the classrooms and administrative blocks are fast becoming threats to the effective and secured learning environment of staff and students.

Ufuoma Mixed Secondary School was founded in the year 1980 and since that time, the educational institution has seldom received complete infrastructural attention, except for the NDDC renovation of a block of laboratories which, as at the time of writing this report, has been greatly damaged and was never equipped with laboratory material equipments and instruments in the first place.

USSOSA said the colossal damages, apart from the very large population pressure on the limited facilities, could also be attributed to the wanton activities of hoodlums and cultists who take pleasure in the wicked act of vandalism.

“Their activities within the school premises are shaded by the thick fence of the school, obviously, a see through fence will enhance the security of the school facilities after learning period.

“Furthermore, the classroom demarcations, as well as portions of the perimeter fencing at the back and side views of the school have been vandalised by disgruntled elements thereby rendering the environment insecure.

“In spite of concerted efforts by the Old Students’ Association to salvage the situation, by donating blocks and bags of cement to refurbish the vandalised fence, hoodlums have continually pulled different portions of the fence down to encourage their evil activities such as stealing, wanton destruction of school property, extortion and threat to lives,” the body said.

Recently, a delegation of the Old Students’ Association moved to do ‘an on the spot assessment’ of the facilities in the school and what was observed is that things have assumed a frightening dimension, just as the association said the condition is best described as a critical eyesore; unexpectedly disgusting and too embarrassing, to say the least.

Oasis Magazine learnt that the borehole that USSOSA provided for the use of the staff and students have been totally vandalised.

The association had some time ago reconnected electricity supply to the school, which has again been disconnected for whatever reason.

85% of the classrooms are said to have had the doors and windows vandalised. Also, almost every ceiling board in the school buildings have been punched by vandals while the glasses of the aluminium window works of the NDDC renovated laboratories have also been vandalised to a large extent.

OM can also authoritatively report that there are up to four or five classrooms which are totally empty and without a single bench for learning.

Observers have said that all of these are totally embarrassing, adding that obviously, the school facilities are not safe, including lives and property especially as there is no visible/capable security/access control personnel’s positioned at the premises of the school.

Meanwhile, the Ufuoma Mixed Secondary School Old Students’ Association also called on the management of Airtel whose communication mast is positioned within the school premises to immediately carry out their corporate social responsibilities to her alma mater being their immediate host community.

It is worthy of note that the Airtel communication mast emits hazardous substance which has negative effect on the health of both staff and students and the school building, yet not a single benefit has been received from them by the school.

USOSSA opined that if they can’t contribute their quota to their alma mater hosting and sustaining their business, they should quit the school premises.

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The former students also disclosed that investigation reveals that Airtel has paid/has been paying money to the authorities (not the school administration), stressing that if this is a fact, where does the money go?

“What is such fund been used for? Who is responsible for collecting the money from the telecommunication company?,” they quizzed.

They thus called on the Delta State Government to urgently look into these critical issues and let appropriate corrective actions be taken to forestall the total and shameful collapse of the infrastructure of the Ufuoma Mixed Secondary School in Sapele, Delta State, adding that they must proactively do something about providing adequate/appropriate security for lives and property in the school which is expected to play host to children for a long time to come.