#Lagostracker: Making a case for the abandoned World Bank School Projects in Lagos

by Ymonitor

Ymonitor makes a case for the four modern school structures built to the point of roofing but abandoned; the schools had been in the present state of abandonment for more than four years. Presently, the current state of the abandoned projects constitutes a threat to the safety and lives of the students, because the structures are becoming weaker as each day passes.

Each of the structures is a three story modern building with 24 standard classrooms and 4 staff rooms/offices. The abandoned projects are located in Onike Girls High School, Yaba; Fazil Omar High School, Iwaya; St. Francis Junior Grammar School, Iwaya; and Igbobi Junior High School, Igbobi. The buildings already at the stage of conclusion with roof; doors and windows were abandoned by the past administration and since then continued to deteriorate thereby constituting nuisance and threat to lives of the students.

Ymonitor gathered that the projects were awarded by the Lagos State Government Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP) to CONTRANSIMEX Nigeria Limited. The construction according to our investigation commenced on 12^th January, 2009 and was expected to be completed by July 2010. The Investigation also revealed that the projects are World Bank Assisted Projects. According to a press statement by a group of NGO on this issue, they quoted the contractor who stated that “The project was abandoned because the contract was terminated and while trying to reconcile accounts as jointly agreed upon by both parties, the Lagos State Government has hitherto only made part payment, thus the projects could not be completed”.

Ymonitor spoke with the community leaders who claimed that they had done all that is needed; they claimed that they had even written to the office of the governor without feedback. As at the time we paid them a visit, they claimed that they just finished a meeting on the issue and reached some resolutions. They appealed to the government to complete the projects which now constitute threat to the lives of the students. In fact some of the leaders want the government to pull down the project if they are not ready to complete it so as to avert an imminent collapse.