Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, has said he is planning legal action against the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), over the Calabar viewing centre tragedy that happened three weeks ago, where eight football fans lost their lives and many others injured.
Ayade was out of the country when the incident happened, but paid a visit to the victims in hospital and the community on Thursday. He promised to donate N10 Million to the families of the victims and another N10 Million to the community.
Addressing reporters after visiting the victims in the hospital, Ayade said: “Once there is a disconnect in the transmission line, the switchboard automatically cuts off power supply. Why that did not happen is totally unacceptable.
“The calibration with the switchboard must have been faulty and we suspect that may be tantamount to criminal negligence. And as a lawyer I am also looking at the details and working with a team to look at the way PHEDC would be made to be properly brought to book so that this would not happen again. Let this not happen again. We would be very aggressive. We are putting together a team of lawyers and consultants to actually look at the immediate and remote causes.
“I have authorized an open cheque for all the medical bills of those in the hospital. We would build a new viewing centre in the honour of those that died. We would look for an appropriate spot in the community distant from high tension cables. The plaques of the victims would be fully displayed in the viewing centre. I am donating 20 million naira. 10 million would go to the community while 10 million would go to the family of the victims.”
Ayade also said one of those affected by the incident would be flown out of the country for treatment.
“For the young immigration officer whose situation is still critical to handle here in Calabar, I have ordered that they should urgently prepare his visas and I would liaise with the Commissioner of Health with the choice of which country to send him to for treatment. Unless we have information from Abuja that he can be treated here in the country, otherwise we have concluded arrangements to have him flown out of the country to save his life,” he said.
Comments