Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government has intensified structural integrity checks on public school buildings following the discovery of distressed structures, leading to the ongoing demolition of Mainland Senior High School on Onayade Street, Fadeyi, in Yaba LCDA.
Chairman of the Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS), Hakeem Smith, disclosed this on Thursday during an inspection visit, noting that the exercise was based on structural assessments.
Smith explained that a building earlier slated for renovation was found to have been previously marked for demolition but left standing.
“As a standard procedure, we conducted structural integrity tests before taking any action. The results showed that not only did the identified block require demolition, but another nearby structure also posed serious risks,” he said.
He added that two buildings are being demolished while another will be rehabilitated, with affected students temporarily relocated to nearby schools.
“We will assess the student population to determine the number of classrooms required. Once approvals are secured, construction is expected to be completed within nine months,” he stated, adding that all new structures would meet international standards.
Coordinator of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Yaba Cell, Adebayo Ogunrinde, said the group flagged the unsafe structures and partnered with authorities to prevent disasters.
“We don’t want to wait until a building collapse before we begin to act,” he said. The Onisabe of Igboi-Sabi, Oba Adeyemi Adeniyi, welcomed the demolition of the long-abandoned structures. He said, “I am so happy today that this building is gone… That building should have gone a long time ago.”
The development follows a recent evacuation that saved hundreds of pupils and staff before a four-storey building housing Yemco Nursery, Primary and Comprehensive College collapsed at 11, Adudatu Street, Ogba.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Chukwu Obinna