The Anglican Diocese Mission has expressed concerns over damages done to their Cathedral Primary School adjacent to a site where market stalls are under construction by NASSIT.
In 2015, a deal was signed between the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), the financier of the Sewa grounds multipurpose project, and the school Mission. NASSIT wanted to develop the site where the school was located. The Mission agreed, with support from NASSIT, to relocate the school. The construction project at the Sewa Grounds Market Development is for an open market stalls, upscale lockups and car parking tower where is the school is located is estimated at $23.91 million complex.The NASSIT project was launched in February 2015 and awarded to the contractor MKD JASS Distributors and Construction Company with consultants from the Capital Infrastructure Partners and supervised by the NASSIT resident Engineer.
According to the Vice Chairman Estate Enterprises, Board of the Anglican Diocese, Olatugie Yaskey, the Mission have been negotiating with NASSIT on the relocation of the school before the commencement of any project on the school grounds.
The damage done to the school was as a result of the contractor’s demolition of a building located next to the school. He said the current damage on the school building, which includes holes on the school building damage to desk and benches and learning materials needs to be fixed immediately, as the children are suffering especially those preparing for their external exam, National Primary School Examination (NPSE). He said it was agreed that NASSIT will construct a new school for the Mission to facilitate the relocation, but the Mission did not accept the place allocated by NASSIT.
He explained that the Mission did not like the new location as it lacked the required amenities for a normal school environment conducive for learning of pupils. The proposed location at Tower Hill by IPAM College where the school was to be relocated is hilly for pupils from the ages of five to twelve years and has no space for a playground. The Mission rejected the unsuitable location.
The Vice Chairman Estate Enterprises, Board of the Anglican Diocese also explained that for the past two years NASSIT were supposed to construct a new school that is easily accessible with adequate space for a playground and amenities. The Public Relations Director for NASSIT, Osman Foday Koroma, said they have engaged the Anglican Diocese Mission on several occasions and that they have also commenced the construction of a new school at Tower Hill.
He said, “NASSIT had asked the Mission to identify a suitable place of their choice for us to construct a new school.”
He disclosed that NASSIT is willing to relocate the school but the problem lies with the Mission to identify a suitable place of their choice and they will construct a suitable school for the mission. He added that NASSIT spent money to start the construction when the Mission rejected it so we are planning to use the place as an office space when completed.
The Public Relations Officer of NASSIT added that the Sewa Grounds Market has three development projects to be completed. The three components of the project are construction of a 7-storey building, a parking lot and office space, linking to a multi-storied market. The third component of the project, he said, is the relocation of Cathedral School.
He said work on the storied buildings and parking lots have not yet commenced and it will be part of the project for the school relocation. He assured that an amicable solution will be reached to resolve the issue and any damage done presently will be repaired to avoid obstruction of the school activities.
Be the first to comment