Metallurgical Students Protest As Flood Wreaks Havoc On Campus, School Blames Anambra Government
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BY SUNNY A. DAVID
Students of Metallurgical Training Institute (MTI), Onitsha this morning (Thursday) protested flooding of their hostels which left laptops, books, foams, handsets and other electronics gadgets destroyed.
Deputy Director of Works in the Institute, Engr. Ferdinand Omeh and Comrade Chigozie Ezeofor, the Students Union President
who took journalists round the damaged sites said the flooding was as a result of wrong water channel being built by the Anambra State Government.
According to Engr. Omeh, the South African construction firm engaged by the Anambra State Government to channel water from Idemili area that passes through the school across Onitsha/Owerri Expressway did unprofessional job after being engaged by the institute to maintain adequate precaution.
The Institute Deputy Works Director regretted that despite several correspondences with the firm and the State Government they still went ahead with the project.

The Students Union President of the Institute, Comrade Ezeofor who had hectic moments alongside other student union executives controlling the students protest disclosed that personal belongings and school property worth about fifty million naira such as Lister Generator Plant, students canteen, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Catholic Chaplaincy and Chapel of Restoration, Chaplaincy, Ogbaru Diocese were all flooded.
About ten hostels out of twenty-seven hostels and a portion of the institute’s perimeter fence were affected by the unfortunate incident. The flooded hostels include: Blocks N, O, Q, A, B, C, D, E among others.
The institute Director, Pastor Bode Fakuade who was out of town for an official engagement regretted the sad incident. He, however, noted that the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power would be officially notified about the incident.
It was indeed a very sad development as students find it almost uncomfortable to concentrate on their studies.
The fate of the affected students remain unclear as many of them have been internally displayed especially at night and have nowhere to sleep coupled with fear of more flooding.