Hostel fire: House committee chair visits YABATECH

THE chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, Comrade Aminu Sulaiman, on Monday visited the Yaba College of Technology on a fact-finding mission to the college following a recent fire incident that destroyed a wing of the Bakassi Girls Hostel.

According to a statement by the polytechnic’s Director of Public Relations, Dr. Charles Oni, Comrade Sulaiman commended the management of the college for its “sensitivity to the need to protect lives and property at all times.”

Sulaiman said,“It is good that we sacrificed time to come. The impression given by petition writers was a far cry from what we met on the ground. There were insinuations of negligence on the part of the college. Some even claimed students were still in the hospital.

“In another document, there was a claim that the fire resulted from the fact that the management let out 80 per cent of the space. It is satisfying we embarked on this trip, because we were able to see things for ourselves and where the truth lies.”

He said that the petitions had made members shudder, “but I am personally satisfied that we visited today. We are not disappointed because we have not found anything to indicate ineptitude on the part of the management. This is an incident that could happen anywhere.

“YABATECH has been the leader in the technological education sector, and we want it to continue to be so. Let me say we are happy with the outcome of this visit. It will help in guiding us with fact.”

The House committee chairman interacted with students around the hostel, and expressed the sympathy of the entire House to them.

The rector, Dr. Margaret Kudirat Ladipo, explained that fire gutted the hostel following a power surge on restoration of electricity after a power outage.

According to her, about 600 students were housed on the two-floor hostel, and they were evacuated moments after the fire outbreak.

A total of 21 students, she said, were rushed to the College Medical Centre, of which 13 were later referred to the Military Hospital, Yaba, “which opened their facility to our students and gave us the required support. All the students have since been discharged.”

She also thanked the Lagos State Emergence Relief Agency for the support received by the college during the emergency, as well as the Federal Fire Service and the University of Lagos.