Reigners Collapse: Planet FM raises over N3m for victims

After months of abandonment, succor finally went to the families and victims of the ill-fated December 10 Reigners Bible Church collapse as Planet 101.1 FM provided them with financial support. 

It can be recalled that shortly after the incident, the Radio station, through its chairman, Mr. Tony Afia, had announced it plans to provide financial support to the victims and also called for contributions from members of the public. The station subsequently set-up a committee to screen and verify claims by the victims or relatives. 

Speaking yesterday at the presentation of cheques to the victims, the chairman of the screening committee, Barr. Clifford Thomas said the Radio station raised a total of N3.441,935 (three million four hundred forty-one thousand nine hundred and thirty-five naira) which was shared among the 54 persons that were screened. 

Mr. Thomas disclosed that the victims were divided into categories depending on the level of damage they suffered and assured that the process was transparent. 

“Planet FM is a private profile-making organization that has chosen to amplify the aspect of social development by mobilizing the people in order to give back to the society. This is the best corporate social responsibility I have seen in all the years I have spent in Akwa Ibom”.

He further commended the chairman of Planet FM, Mr. Afia for the show of love towards the victims, adding that the gesture went a long way to inspire others and called the people of Akwa Ibom to continue showing love to the victims and the relatives of the deceased. 

Mr. Thomas, who is also the chairman of  Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) expressed his displeasure over what he described as negligence on the part of government and Reigners Bible Church, assuring that those whose actions led to the collapse of the church building will be brought to justice. 

“Government money is not in this contribution and they are not even interested in what victims  are going through since then. Even the Reigners Bible Church, we would ordinarily expect them to say come this happened in our facility let also give our little token but they didn’t contribute any amount in the thing rather, the Pastor, Mr Akan Weeks asked some people to come to planet FM that they are paying compensation”.