Electrocution in Calabar: Head of Service, Mrs. Oyo-Ita, accuses PHCN of negligence
The Head of Service (HoS) of the federation, Mrs. Winifred E. Oyo-Ita, has accused Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), of negligent which resulted in the electrocution of some fans while watching a football match in a viewing center in Calabar recently.
Mrs. Oyo-Ita stated this while interacting with the Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital shortly after visiting the victims of the electrocution in the hospital, adding that “those found wanting or fallen short of what was expected of them should be brought to book and adequately sanctioned.
“Our infrastructure and utility supplies or providers have to be more efficient and exhibit more care and caution in a way the infrastructure is being arranged and provided. Obviously, the power holding company and its subsidiaries have a lot of work to do in ensuring that they carry out their duty with all due diligent.
“Because we had had cases like this in the past and it shouldn’t just continue whereby PHCN lines and transformer get blown up, explodes and cause more harm than good. I think this is a call for all electricity providers and other infrastructure to be extremely careful,”she cautioned.
The Head of Service however, commended the staff of the teaching hospital that handled the cases, saying, “I commend the staff including surgeon, clinical staff, nurses etc, for work well done and I can see the amount of dedication they have put in place to help these groups of Nigerians who only went to enjoy themselves.”
Receiving the nation’s top civil servant to the hospital, the chief medical director, Dr. Thomas Egan, said “We appreciate the visit of the Head of Service of the federation to our hospital and the victims. The hospital is set to transfer or refer the victims that had severe burnt abroad.
“The surgeons to go with him are ready, referral letters are ready, what they are waiting for now is funds to be provided as the governor has accepted to bill the treatment and in abroad, payment is done up front.”
