Excel College Collapsed Building: Original Plan Not Altered, Says Mgt

BY MARY KUYE

The management of Excel College, Lagos, has described as untrue; rumours making the rounds that the collapsed wing of the building was an illegal addition to the original building plan approved by the Lagos State government.

A wing of the Excel College building collapsed on September 19, 2020, with no lives lost. The entire building was later demolished by the government.

Director of the school, Dr Dele Oke, said there were no changes or alterations to the original building plan approved by the Lagos State government. It is not true that any other structure was added to the original plan.

“All the insinuations that the collapsed wind of the building was added to the original plan after the school was built, were absolute falsehood. There is no truth whatsoever in it. Any discerning mind who saw the building before the standing part was demolished would agree that there was no such thing.

So far we are impressed with the efforts of the state government to establish the cause of the unfortunate incident. We are also waiting for the full report.

“We’ve presented all documents that the government asked from us, including the structural plans and other things. So that it can correct the impression that it was after the school had been built that another one was added to it.

‘The building was designed like that and it was built as approved. So, we are waiting for their report.

‘The integrity test on our annexe building has been done by the state government. So, I think governments’ due process is being followed. And we know that we did not compromise in any way on this issue.

READ ALSO: Collapse of  Excel College Building Will Not Hinder SS3 Exams, Says Principal

Dr Oke also debunked suggestions that bomb blasts could have been responsible for the collapse of the building. ‘Over the years there have been a lot of speculations. There are people that have said so much about the different bomb blasts in some parts of Lagos, close to the location of the school. We too want to know.

He calls for government support in getting the learning ground back to its functional best. ‘We just hope the government will support us to rise again.’