By Olisemeka Obeche

The Anambra State Government has assured residents of Umuoba Anam in Anambra East Local Government Area of its commitment to rehabilitating the flood-damaged two-storey building at Community Secondary School, Umuoba Anam.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ekene Ogugua, gave the assurance while receiving a delegation from the Umuoba Anam Education Committee, which submitted a report detailing the deteriorating condition of the school infrastructure and appealed for urgent government intervention.

The delegation, led by former Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Chief Fidel Okafor, said decades of annual flooding had seriously weakened the building’s foundation, resulting in extensive cracks that now stretch from the foundation to the upper floor.

According to Okafor, the school building was constructed by the Umuoba Anam community before it was handed over to the government in the early 1980s.

“Every rainy season, particularly between July and September, floodwater submerges the school premises. The repeated flooding has caused serious structural damage, and we fear the building could collapse if urgent action is not taken,” he said.

Chairman of the Education Committee, Engr. Samuel Udefi, said technical assessments indicated that the building could still be salvaged through structural reinforcement and refurbishment.

“The structure requires professional rehabilitation to strengthen its foundation and enable it to withstand future flooding. Unfortunately, the community lacks the financial capacity to undertake such a project,” he stated.

Also speaking, President-General of Umuoba Anam Town Union, Hon. Uchenna Anizor, urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to fulfil his earlier promise to upgrade the school into one of the state’s Smart Schools.

Responding, Dr. Ogugua assured the delegation that the school had already been identified as one of the public schools requiring government intervention.

“There are many schools across the state facing similar challenges, but we will continue to prioritise projects according to urgency. We appreciate this report and will give it the necessary attention,” the commissioner said.

He also promised to visit the school personally to assess the extent of the damage.