Following the recent outbreak that raised down St John’s College Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, the Archbishop of the Onitsha Archdiocese, Most Reverend Valerian Okeke, has donated N50 million to the college.
The Bishop said the funds would enable the school to rebuild the burnt hotels. The Principal of the College, Reverend Father Francis Unegbu, who acknowledged the efforts of the Archbishop, said the fire started between 9.30 am on Monday morning when the students were having their breakfast.
Fr Unegbu said there was no human casualty but properties worth millions of naira were lost in the inferno. He said some hostels housing over 400 students were affected and the students are now displaced.
He appealed to the Anambra State Government to come to the aid of the college to complete the project as well as help it combat its erosion challenges.
The National President of the Old Boys of the St John’s Science and Technical College, Dr Cyprian Afunugo, expressed worry that the state fire service in Awka and Nnewi fire stations could not rescue of the college.
Afunugo urged the state government to ensure that at least two functional firefighting vehicles are stationed at Nnewi and other big cities of Onitsha, Ekwulobia and Ihiala for emergency fire outbreak services. He said it is expected at this time of global technology that the fire service responsiveness of government should be very prompt at the touch of a dial fire outbreak emergency number.
