Our reporter
The University of Maiduguri chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has described the recent flood in Borno State as the failure of authorities to address environmental issues promptly.
In a statement issued by the Chairperson of the UNIMAID Chapter of ASUU, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia Saidu while applauding the Federal Government for her swift show of sympathy to the people of the state, and the Borno State Government for its commendable efforts in various sectors across the state, however, said “we cannot ignore the glaring gap between policy implementers and the academic community.”
The statement read in part, “The collapse of the Alau Dam, despite numerous warnings from experts across tertiary institutions in the state in many research publications, is a stark reminder of the urgent need for effective collaboration and integration of research outputs into policymaking.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, bearing the responsibility of managing and maintaining the Alau Dam, has unfortunately neglected to heed the warnings and recommendations from academic researchers. The numerous research outputs directly associated with the state of the Alau Dam have been largely ignored, leading to this tragic outcome.
The statement titled “The Alau Dam Tragedy: A Call for Action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the University of Maiduguri Branch to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Borno State Government and the Academic Community; A Lesson from the Past” highlighted the impact of the flood on Union members stating that “countless members” of the UNIMAID community including academic staff, their families, the UMTH and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Field Station were affected.
On the Union members affected by the disaster, ASUU said “The Union has data revealing many of its members were devastatingly affected by the flood, except for a few who resided on campus or in the staff quarters.
“The University of Maiduguri, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Field Station, located behind Lake Chad Research Institute, Gamboru Ngala Road, was also flooded, leading to the drowning and loss of many livestock, including cattle, sheep, and goats that were reared purposely for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students’ practical and clinical posting.”
This devastating event, the Union said “has left a profound mark on our members and the entire community, and our hearts go out to all those affected.
“The collapse of the Alau Dam, located just 13.6 kilometres from the University of Maiduguri, had a devastating impact on the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). The entire hospital, particularly the ground floors where most of the essential equipment is located, was submerged in water.
“This catastrophic event resulted in the loss of valuable multi-billion-naira equipment. In the Radiology Department, for instance, the affected equipment included at least magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography, and fluoroscopy machines; three static Xray machines (one of which is a digital radiography machine); three mobile X-ray machines; one mammography machine; and about eight ultrasound scan machines.
“The disaster extended to the newly established radiotherapy centre and flooded two linear accelerator machines (LINAC), two brachytherapy machines, and one CT scanner. These essential medical devices are crucial for providing specialized healthcare services to patients in North East Nigeria and the entire country at large.
“The UMTH has served as a vital referral centre for the North East and the country at large. The loss of these medical equipment poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of countless individuals.”
While making a case for the replacement of the University infrastructures affected by the flood, the Union said that to ensure that UMTH continues to provide essential healthcare services to the community and maintain its status as a leading medical institution in the region, ASUU called for immediate action to replace the damaged infrastructures and machines at the facility.
It advised both the Federal and Borno State Governments to “in earnest, collaborate and embrace the path of excellence and accountability” by ensuring the immediate reconstruction and expansion of the entire Dam and its routes within the town to hold more volumes of water to forestall future disasters as well as encourage irrigation thereby creating more jobs.
The Union also called for the integration of academic research into policymaking by ensuring that research findings from tertiary institutions are considered and incorporated into policy decisions.
They further advocated for the establishment of effective communication channels by creating platforms for dialogue and collaboration between policymakers and academic experts. ASUU further called for more investment in research and development through the provision of adequate funding and support for research initiatives that would address critical societal issues. It also recommended the provision of immediate relief and support to our affected members and the entire affected communities as well as mitigate possible outbreaks of infectious diseases, especially waterborne diseases.