Vwaere Diaso: Lagos Govt Panel Arrests Elevator Installer

The investigation panel set up by the Lagos State Government to probe the elevator accident at the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island, has made a crucial decision.

Naija News reported that a female doctor, Vwaere Diaso, died in a faulty elevator two weeks before the completion of her housemanship at the General Hospital.

The elevator was said to have been previously faulty, and staff had complained about it before the sad incident.

The incident sparked outrage on and off social media, which prompted the Lagos government to institute a panel to investigate the elevator accident and conclude its findings within 48 hours.

In a statement on Friday, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Information and Strategy, Olumide Sogunle, said the panel has handed over the elevator installer to the Nigerian police for questioning and further interrogation.

He disclosed that the reason for the arrest of the installer was to ensure that the installer would always be available if the panel needed him for further questions.

Sogunle said the panel also invited a lift expert to the accident scene to look at the lift and give a preliminary opinion, adding that the panel will submit a report of its initial findings on Saturday for further actions to be taken on the matter.

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 also met with the lift installer and the representatives of the company that installed the elevator.

“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 its initial findings on Saturday. And any other steps to be taken after that would be done by the appropriate authorities.”