Sep 17 2012
Adamawa Cries Out as Flood Washes Away 89 Schools
MATTHEW ONAH
Flood menace
The appeal came as the flood threatens to cut off the state from other part of the country, as two culverts on the Yola—Gombe road situated at Ngbalang , near the Numan bridge-head, were partially washed away on Friday.
Speaking to pressmen at the weekend, the Secretary to state Government, Adamawa state , and chairman of the state emergency committee on the flood disaster, Chief Kobis Ari—Thimnu, said the flood situation was compounded by the opening of the sluice gate at the Dadin- kowa and Kiri dams in Gombe and Adamawa states.
He stated that with the combined effect of the Rivers Benue and Gongola, over flooding its banks, with excess water from the Lagdo dam in the republic of Cameroon, and the two neighborhood dams, in the country , Adamawa state is literally drowning .
He said that the state is being confronted with a disaster of enormous proportion.
Meanwhile the state Government has announced an indefinite closure of its public schools throughout the state, as a result of the flood ravaging the state.
The state commissioner of Education, Mr . Gabriel Hamman-Adama, said the indefinite closure became necessary as a total of 89 primary and secondary schools have so far been submerged across Adamawa in the on-going flood disaster ravaging the state.
He said over 48 other schools had been taken over as camps by communities displaced by the flood disaster.
“About 89 primary and secondary schools are seriously submerged in the flood to the extend that you cannot get to these schools as at now”, Hamman-Adama said.
The commissioner explained that the development had forced the ministry to now shift the coming resumption date for government schools in the state, indefinitely .
“We have held a meeting with stakeholders and resolved that the initial resumption date of coming Monday 17th be shifted indefinitely until the situation improves. ‘’, Hamman-Adama said.
The commissioner explained that if the flood water did not recede in October, the ministry would be forced to merge students from the submerged schools and those converted to camps with those in schools that were not affected.
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