Parents of 5 Students who Drown During Excursion in Kaduna Appeal to Government to Fulfill Promises

By Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna

Parents of five students of Victory School, Kaduna who drown in River Kaduna in October 2017, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nasir el-Rufai, to compel agencies they commissioned to investigate the cause of the incident to do so and make finding public.

The families, also want the government to pay the compensation they promised shortly after the incident.

The parents, Mr. Benedict Unuomogwe, Mr. Henry Umanyi, Mr. Basil Ukaegbu, Mr. Romanus Onuigbo and Mr. Abiodun Arogundade, who were at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna on Thursday to make an appeal to government after several attempt to reach her, said they are suspicious that some group involved may have sat on government effort to pay them.

According to them, “Your Excellency Sir, series of letters have been written to you through the Hon. Commissioner of education and Chief of Staff to the Kaduna State Government house and we know that the letters have not gotten to you.

“In view of all these, the affected parents are requesting for an audience with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (GCFR). Secondly, that the Ministry of Finance Kaduna State should release the compensation within two weeks from this Conference.

“Thirdly, that the investigative report should be made available to the affected parents. Fourthly, that the Federal Government and our father, the President Gen. Mohammadu Buhari should kindly grant scholarships to a member of each of the affected families.”

The text of the press conference reads in part; “we the affected parents of Water Board (Kaduna Water Corporation) tragedy of October 11th 2017 called for this conference. It is no more news that our children (students of Victory Schools, Kaduna) five of them among students
that went on Excursion got drowned out of water board negligence and carelessness.

“How can students being taken to a walkway in the centre of River Kaduna constructed in 1892 by the British (Colonial Master) without divers, life jackets and even common or local fishermen?

“Since the incident happened in 2017 we want to appreciate the President Federal Republic of Nigeria Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (GCFR) for his
pronouncement a week after the incident for investigation and compensation to the affected families.

“Mr. President Sir, your order or instruction was not carried out or some group of people might as well have sat on the compensation.

Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State Mal. Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai thank you for adopting the report and the approval of the compensation to the affected parents. May God reward you abundantly
Your Excellency, your order has not been carried out. The Hon Commissioner of Finance is still sitting on the compensation.

“This as a matter of fact according to the Hon. Commissioner of Education, Alh. Ja’afaru I. Sani on the 11th of October, 2018 and quote “Investigations have been concluded recommendations made, report adopted and his Excellency the Executive Governor or Kaduna State Mal. Nasir El-Rufai and the entire Executive Council have approved all recommendations including the compensation to be given to the beneficiaries of the victims of the tragedy and that in less than two weeks, the Ministry of Finance will carry out the disbursement”.

The children are; 15years old Joseph Benedict, Priscilla Romanus 15, David Ukaegbu 15, Monday Umanyi 17, and Goodness Arogundade 15.

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