THE TRAGEDY of young Jason Campbell, the Calabar schoolboy who was crushed to death under the collapsing wall of a derelict building, brings into focus this particular blot on the landscape and on our national conscience. In too many of our towns and cities, the detritus of derelict buildings can be seen, many of them firetraps, some structurally unsound.
Ironically, perhaps Jason was seeking asylum from the noise and distractions of the tenement community in which he and his mother lived, a refuge of peace and quiet when he ventured into the abandoned building. He is at peace now and the image of his mother's face on the front page of this newspaper, weeping for her lost son, remains ingrained in our consciousness.
We urge that an immediate inventory be made of such dangerous structures for use by Government in exercising its right of 'eminent domain' to condemn them as a danger to the public and to have them demolished forthwith. There should be no long, drawn out arguments about compensation. Public safety must be a priority of any properly run municipality. The cost of such safety can come later. If slum landlords are involved, the cost of demolition should be recouped from them. If no ownership can be established the holdings should escheat to the government for the payment of taxes.
Derelict buildings are just one part of an overall slum problem resulting from a combination of factors including economic stagnation, crime and violence and lack of enforcement of building codes. We recognise that a programme of demolition may result in some people being made homeless but many of these derelict buildings are unoccupied and in any case it must be government's responsibility to find alternative accommodation for any displaced person.
Fate gives only so many warnings of disasters to come and as we extend our deepest sympathy to Jason's twin brother and their mother, we urge that immediate steps be taken to prevent the recurrence of such a tragedy.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
