The Benue state government on Monday assured the families of those who died in the collapse building of St Roberts Catholic Mission Church, Adambge in Vandekikya local government area of Benue state, that it will carter for their needs while the victims will be given mass burial at the church premises.
Eyewitnesses said the number of casualty was high because help could not reach those trapped on time.
Lack of proper medical facilities led to higher number of casualties
The state government, in the wake of the incident, ordered the immediate construction of a comprehensive health care facility in Adamgbe and also ordered that the road leading into the village be graded for easy access.
Eyewitnesses opined that the number of casualties would have been less if there had been a proper medical centre in the village or if the victims could have been taken out of the village on time to a proper medical facility.
Adamgbe is located on the high brow landscape of Vandeikya Local government, about 11 Kilometers away from the main Vandeikya town, few miles to the border between Benue and Cross River states.
It was gathered that the pillars of the church suddenly uprooted from the ground, leading to the collapse of the building on the multitude of worshippers. The development was said to have led to abrupt end of the Easter mass vigil.
When our correspondent visited the area yesterday, the priest in charge of the St. Robert's Catholic Mission, Rev. Fr. Cosmos Jooli, said the mass was arranged to be held under the mango trees (outside the church building).
He added that the development was due to the fact that the worshippers were over populated and that the church could not accommodate the capacity of the congregation.
The cleric further disclosed that the incident occurred between 8.30pm and 9pm when he had gone to his apartment to prepare for the mass, saying that heavy rainstorm forced the worshippers to rush to the church building to take refuge.
He also claimed that the cause of the collapse was as a result of the storm and not the dilapidated or old nature of the building as was being speculated, adding that the ugly situation led to the cancellation of the inauguration of a new Hilux pick up Van purchased by the church to ease the problem of transportation.
The Benue state commissioner for information, Conrade Wergba who said this, disclosed that twenty two persons died in the incident while the medical bill of those injured and receiving treatment at the hospital will also be settled by the state government.
Mr Wergba and the state’s commissioner of Education, Elizabeth Ukoh had accompanied the Deputy Governor, Steven Lawani to the church to commiserate with the church and affected families on the sad incident.
Following the assessment of the incident, the state government ordered the establishment of a comprehensive health care facility in Adamgbe and grading of the road for easy accessibility to the village.
At least 22 persons were on Sunday confirmed dead as the church building collapsed on Saturday night while parishioners were worshiping during the Easter vigil service.
Eyewitnesses said the number of casualty was high because help could not reach those trapped on time.
Monday 9 April 2012
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/04/09/benue-government-plans-mass-burial-for-those-killed-by-collapsed-church-building/
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