By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
The pioneer tertiary health institution in Jigawa state, the College of Health Sciences and Technology (CHST) Jahun, has suffered serious destructions following heavy downpour and windstorm witnessed in the area.
The development has resulted in the destruction of the property worth millions of naira in the institution.
However, there was no life lost as the students were observing their sessional semester break, though they’re scheduled to return for the first semester session and would be faced with the reality.
Investigations showed that the major buildings affected in the college included the Environmental Demonstration ground for students practical which was completely blown off, including MDGs classes used by dental students.
Other affected buildings included the generator house which is the power house, which was also blown off as well as all the solar panel attached at the power house destroyed.
Similarly, the main classroom complex a carrying capacity of over 3,000 students have been blown off. Even the main administration block was not spared of the disaster.
A resident, Garba Jahun, who spoke on the development said the incident happened in the past three weeks lamented that despite the fact that the management of the schools had informed the ministry on the issue, but no action had been taken .
It was observed that most of students’ toilets both female and male students were completely unhygienic as it name the college of health it is very unfortunate, lamenting that due to lack of good toilet a situation which force many of the female students to influence in practicing open defecation behind their hostel with the fear of Infection of calculus.
Adding that other affected places include physic laboratory, biology laboratory and chemistry laboratory for students’ practical which all were attached with the students complex building .
Others include BME studio and office of the HOD Dental, HOD Medical laboratory and Director Medical lab, Medical, Enginearing Workshop, Bio medical lab and Demonstration rooms for students practica, which havel all become uninhabitable.
Acting Provost of the College, Abdullahi Abubakar confirmed that the heavy winds and rainstorms have destroyed several buildings including the Adminstration Block where his office is located
He added that the management has used it’s little resources to repair those that they could manage but the major ones beyond their power has been forwarded to the ministry for official handling.
For instance, he confirmed that the management had so far expended over N 2.5 million on the remedial works being carried out pending the time the ministry of health would intervene.
Abdullahi explained that the affected buildings nclude the ICT library section, classroom complex, parts of female and male hostels, MDGs building, ,generator house, administration building and destruction of solar panel .
He further explained that photos of all the affected buildings including those repaired by the college have been sent to the state ministry of health for necessary action and “we are now waiting their actions which already the ministry has sent a delegation who quantified the damage and I assure you that the state government will do every thing possible to assist us to address the problem, he stated .
He then called on the state government to assist the college by providing solar street lights in the school which will improved the security situation in the college .
The provost also appealed to the state government to provide more solar panel and solar soumor that could help the institution to improve the level of water system to the college because for now the college is facing water challenge due to destruction of their solar panel by the recent wind attacked .
He explained that as the students are returning back to the campus, their major challenge is lack of lecture hall because their major student complex which have been blown off by winds, therefore as matter of urgency he called on the government to repair the main student complex.
He assured that plans is underway to protect the college from annual winds threat by planting about 3000 seedling of trees around the wall fencing with a view to provide protection ,in which the arrangement was made between the college and the Ministry of Agriculture to provide the seed for the college .
He then appealed to the authorities to provide more toilet facilities for both female and male students hostel to avoid open defecation as a matter of urgency .
