Lagos State Government said it has handed to the police the lift installer who set up the elevator which claimed the life of a medical doctor Dr. Vwaere Diaso at the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island on Tuesday.
Permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy Olumide Sogunle disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Mr Sogunle said the investigation panel, which was given 48 hours to conclude action, will submit a report of its initial findings on Saturday for further actions to be taken on the matter.
Sogunle highlighted some of the steps taken so far by the investigative panel, stating that the panel has met with the facility manager, management of the General Hospital, Lagos, and the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), to unravel the circumstances surrounding the elevator accident.
He said: “A Panel comprising the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Service Commission (HSC), Permanent Secretary of the Health Service Commission, Director-General of the Safety Commission, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health; House officers and representatives of the medical associations, has been set up.
“The panel met with the Facility Manager, personnel of LASIAMA and the management of General Hospital, Lagos. The Panel had also met with the lift installer and the representatives of the company that installed the elevator.
READ ALSO:
Dr Vwaere Diaso: Oborevwori charges Sanwo-Olu to probe elevator crash
Lagos hospital’s house officers protest Vwaere Diaso’s death in elevator crash
“The Panel also invited a lift expert to the accident scene to look at the lift and give a preliminary opinion. Other experts would now take the elevator out for a thorough mechanical and electrical examination.
“As part of the panel’s activities from the first day when they interviewed the lift installer, they handed him over to the Police for questioning and further interrogation. This is to ensure that the installer will always be available if the panel needs him for further questions.
“Six house officers and representatives of the medical associations were appointed as witnesses. Representatives of the House Officers and medical associations were allowed to be part of the panel.
“The panel was given 48 hours to conclude action and so it will be submitting a report of their initial findings on Saturday. And any other steps to be taken after that would be done by the appropriate authorities.”
Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Lagos chapter Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu told PUNCH that the elevator has been faulty since 2020.
