Academic lock down as Oko poly is shut due to flood
The management of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, has shut down the institution and directed its students in Atani campus to vacate immediately following flood that ravaged the campus.
The spokesman of the polytechnic, Obini Onuchukwu, in a statement on Tuesday said this was to avoid casualty.
“The access roads to the campus, fields, offices and classrooms have all been submerged and the students are having challenges accessing their classrooms.
“The institution’s perimeter fencing, electric transformer and generating sets are also submerged, resulting in total blackout.”
Mr Onuchukwu also enjoined both the National Emergency Maintenance Agency and the State Emergency Maintenance Agency to come to the aid of the polytechnic.
“We encounter flooding almost yearly, but the magnitude of this year’s flooding has gone beyond what we had recorded in the recent past. Apart from the campus, hostels belonging to individuals where our students stay off campus were also submerged, making life and activities in the school impossible.
“The flood had already damaged some household appliances and personal belongings of the students such as books and mattresses.”
Also, he noted that the ’emergency holiday’ may be extended if the remedial work the institution plans to failed.
He attributed the situation to lack of proper drainage system within the host communities. He recalled that in 2012, a similar flooding adversely affected the institution’s academic activities for several months. (Premium Times)