EVBOTUBU — IT is easily one of the fastest growing communities around Benin- City, the capital of Edo State, but this is not the best of times for residents of Evbotubu in Egor Local government Area of the state. They are angry that the road leading community from the heart of the city is impassable. Whenever it rains, bus drivers charge as much as N200 from the Oba Market in the city centre to Evbotubu, instead of the normal N80 due to the appalling condition of the road.
•Submerged Evbotubu Primary School
The most affected government institution in the community is the Evbotubu Primary School, constructed in the 50s. The school, which had two sections, Evbotubu I and II with over 1000 pupils before it was overrun by flood, currently has less than 300 pupils, as most parents have withdrawn their pupils from the school.
When Niger Delta Voice visited the school, last week, flood had swamped the field and the open portion between the two blocks of classrooms. Children could no longer access the field to play during their break for fear of drowning in the flood or being bitten by snakes, which have found the swampy school field a haven.
According to some teachers in the school, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, “the environment is not conducive for learning as a result of the flooding and nature of the environment.”
Appeal
“Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was here in 2007 when he came to campaign in Evbotubu. He promised that if voted into office, he would renovate the school and tackle the flooding challenge. Again, he was here during the campaign for his re-election in 2012. “So, we are appealing to him to fulfill his campaign promises by coming to our aid. He should direct the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to renovate the school so that our children can learn in comfortable environment without fear,” they said.
The teachers also appealed to the community to collaborate with the government in the renovation and clearing of the flooded school premises by contributing financially and morally.
Over 10 snakes killed in our classrooms – Pupil
Some of the pupils spoken to expressed fears about their learning environment. One of them, a primary four pupil, Eromosele Emuoveon, said that whenever it rained, snakes and other reptiles swim from the flooded swamp into their classrooms. “We killed more than 10 snakes in our classrooms whenever it rained. We have been lucky so far that no pupil had been bitten by snake, so we do not like the situation here and we appeal to the Comrade Governor to come to our assistance by stopping the flooding and renovating the school,” he said.
Another pupil, who simply called himself Anderson, added, “Oga, when it rains here, we are always afraid of drowning as the flood usually gets to the DPC level. Older pupils always carry the younger ones in the lower classes on their backs to avoid flood sweeping them away. The governor as a lover of children should come and help us.”
Children unsafe in the school
However, the youth chair of Evbotubu/Iguedayi community, Mr. David Ogbeide, while commenting on the neglect of the community by the government, said: “We feel that this community is not part of Edo State. Our roads are very, very bad and flood has taken over the only government primary school that served more than five communities in the area.”
As for the control of the flood in the school and erosion, he said, “Nobody has come and we have written to them, no reply. “But they know how to come here during elections to campaign, you have been to the school, it is empty and nobody wants to risk the lives of his children. Again, there is a high-tension power line across the school and with the school submerged; the lives of the children are not safe.
•Submerged Evbotubu Primary School
“We only pray that no high-tension wire should cut because the repercussion will be bad, so for us in the community, the solution is not only fencing the school or removing the flood, government should rehabilitate the road where the school is located because it leads to other villages, such as Iguedaiyi, Iguogie and several others.”
No fund to rehabilitate dilapidated schools – Officials
Attempt to speak with the Executive Chairman of the State Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Chief Stephen Alao, failed. However, some officials of the board, who spoke incognito, blamed lack of funds for non-rehabilitation of many primary schools in the state. They said that as soon as the finances of the state improved, the board would renovate most of the dilapidated primary schools, including the Evbotubu Primary School.
An official of the Edo State Ministry of Environment said the construction of the Benin Water Storm by the state government would take care of the flooding and erosion in Evbotubu and environs
Source : Vanguard
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